States like Washington face even higher prices due to stricter environmental regulations and higher state taxes

Carleen Johnson
The Center Square Washington

The price of diesel fuel reached an all-time high in Washington on Wednesday at just under $6.53 a gallon, and remained at that price on Thursday. 

That means a driver filling a 200-gallon tank for a big rig is paying more than $1,300.

In the last month, the price of diesel has gone up $1.65 per gallon and in the last year, the price has gone up $2.12 per gallon.

The price spike is blamed in part on the conflict involving Iran, which has jeopardized oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for global oil.

There have also been refinery disruptions, tightening the supply of gasoline.

But states like Washington face even higher prices due to stricter environmental regulations and higher state taxes. 

The trucking industry and school districts across the state are feeling the pain at the pump.

Jeff Bosma, owner of Fast Way Freight in Spokane, told The Center Square Thursday that most of the increase will trickle down to the consumer.

“You’re paying it. Your neighbor’s paying it. Your kids are paying for it. Everybody pays it eventually,” Bosma said. “It always gets passed on. That’s kind of the sad thing, because it affects the people at the lower end of the income scale, obviously a lot more than the others.”

Bosma, who has about 50 big rigs and 50 employee drivers, explained that for about 90% of their customers, they can pass on a fuel surcharge, but that’s not the case for all transports and they’re feeling the financial hit, which he admitted could impact his retirement plans. 

“Do you want to stay in business, or do you want to shut it down while your company is still making money?” he asked. “I just don’t want to have to write a check to retire someday. I guess that’s kind of what it comes down to.”

In Washington, drivers pay more than 55-cents in state gas taxes, and another 50-cents per gallon in Climate Commitment Act (CCA) costs. 

Temporarily lifting some of those costs could help Washington drivers, but Governor Bob Ferguson has given no indication he’s willing to do that and did not respond to a request for comment about gas prices today.

“I don’t have much hope in our state backing off of anything, really,” Bosma said. “Yesterday there was the announcement that the state of Georgia is suspending their state fuel tax temporarily, just till they kind of see where this all levels out and what happens here. I can’t imagine that ever happening in our state.”

Vicki Alonzo, with Auburn School District communications, said their district receives fuel four times per month.

“Since January, the cost of the refueling drop has increased by about $23,000 for each drop. If these prices continue, our fuel costs will have increased by almost $100,000 per month,” wrote Alonzo in response to an inquiry by The Center Square.

 Tanisha Jumper, chief communications officer for the Tacoma School District, said the rising costs are also a problem there. 

“Tacoma Public Schools has definitely experienced rising fuel costs,” Jumper wrote to The Center Square. “Fortunately, we operate a diverse fleet that includes buses powered by propane and electricity. While we have seen some increases in those energy sources as well, they have not been as significant as the rise in diesel costs.”

Jumper noted that in the 2024–2025 school year, the district saw approximately a 5% increase in fuel costs.

“From 2025–2026, that increase has grown to about 37%,” she wrote. “We are continuing to focus on efficiency in our routing and operations to help manage these costs.”

This story was first published by The Center Square Washington.