Best states to buy diesel

Tennesseahawk · Aug 25, 2007

Broom was telling me the other day that he heard on XM - Kevin Rutherford - the five best states to buy diesel... but he could only remember four of them. LOL

These states have the best cost vs IFTA return, or best bang for the buck.

PA - reasonable cost, very high IFTA.
NC - good price, high IFTA
SC - VERY LOW price, low IFTA
and one Leo hates LOL...
VA - Very low price, low IFTA + small surcharge
Anyone care to venture which state is the fifth on the list? I'm guessing either NJ or IL.

No offense to Leo's thread, as it's standard chart used in the industry. However, although it tells how much state fuel tax vs IFTA counted, it doesn't show what other taxes states tack onto fuel.

For example... MI may have a 30.3 IFTA with a comparable state tax, it also imposes its SALES TAX of 6% on fuel and gas among other fees. As we in MI know, we have the second highest gas prices in the country, and that's why.

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!

LDB · Aug 25, 2007

No offense taken but the state taxes don't really matter since the IFTA is the only one you get credit for at purchase. Subtract the IFTA from the price and that's the actual cost per gallon at the pump. That's just the starting point though. You have to factor the IFTA into your cost in that state and the states that follow. I agree there are states where the base cost per gallon is low but I'll stick with the formula using the IFTA. I am curious which state they place 5th though.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB
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nightcreacher · Aug 25, 2007

The way I decide where I buy my fuel,is I subtract the fuel tax of that state from the total cost,this will let me know how much I'm actually paying for fuel.If I over buy in that state,then the extra taxes are passed along thru the IFTA agreement.If a state has a low tax,so it looks like the fuel is cheap,there may not be enough tax money to pass to the other states.For instance,Georgia fuel is much cheaper than Florida,but Georgia tax is much lower,meaning you are actually better buying fuel in Florida,over buy and Georgia will get paet of the tax.Some states barely have enough tax to cover their state,let alone pass any to other states.There is also what is known as a ton mile tax,this wont show up on the pump,or a surcharge as in Indiana,that makes their fuel as high as Illinois.
If your driving for someone that pays the fuel taxes,and you only have to pay for the fuel,then buy in the cheapest states,but if you pay the taxes,get your truckers atlas,it has all the state fuel taxes,do your homework.

Tennesseahawk · Aug 25, 2007

That's all the list does... shows the most cost efficient state. Sure you'll have to go down the road to determine what price is better. I suggest going online and checking it out before you take off from the shipper, if you're not sure. These five (minus one) are sure bets.

I've always made it a point to go to three of them (PA, VA, and SC), and only missed NC because their only flying hook is in Haw River, which is out of the way. Now I don't have that problem because VISA is taking care of fuel expenses. LOL

Night... I wouldn't worry about low IFTA, if I were you. Yes, I buy more in VA and SC than in OH and PA, for example. At the end of the quarter, I've gotten many tank fulls, and pay IFTA the cost of 1/3 to 1/2 tank. Not bad. When I start a trip, I determine which states I have to fuel up in (like TX... you just have to LOL), and which I want to fill up in. For every two low IFTA states, I make sure I hit one with a higher IFTA. But sometimes it works the opposite... ie a trip from NH to KS. I put enough in at NH to get me to PA, then fill up. Skip OH and IN, and fill up in IL. Then again in western MO. So, it evens out.

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!