By the Arkansas Black Vitality Staff

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – March 13, 2026 – Pump prices jumped another 37 cents this week as most Arkansas motorists are now filling their tanks at well over $3 per gallon for regular unleaded in all except a few of the state’s key urban markets.

In its weekly fuel report on national gasoline and electric charging (prices), the former American Automobile Association (AAA) said crude oil prices play a major role in what drivers pay at the pump, as prices have surpassed the $100 per barrel mark multiple times in recent days. 

To help counteract rising prices, President Trump ordered the U.S. Department of Energy on Wednesday to release 172 million barrels of oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve over four months, one of the few times he has agreed with Democratic leaders’ requests on national policy issues. The move is part of a broader effort by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to release a total of 400 million barrels of oil, the largest emergency release in its history.  

“The oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale, therefore I am very glad that IEA Member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “Oil markets are global so the response to major disruptions needs to be global too.

Despite those national and international crude oil drawdowns, escalating tensions involving Iran and Israel raised fears of a broader Middle East conflict and potential supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit chokepoint.

“In just a week, consumers have seen gasoline prices surge at one of the fastest rates in years after oil prices spiked following U.S. strikes on Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “With additional attacks across the Middle East over the weekend pushing oil above $100 per barrel for the first time in years, fuel markets are now rapidly recalibrating to the risk of prolonged disruption to global supply flows.”

As a result, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline rose 35 cents to $3.60 as many U.S. families prepare to travel by air, land or sea for the upcoming spring break season. The current national price is 66 cents higher than a month ago and 52 cents higher than a year ago, while diesel fuel prices are rising even higher to $4.89 a gallon, up sharply $1.23 a gallon from a month ago.

“Diesel may rise even more sharply, with increases of 35 to 75 cents per gallon possible as global distillate markets react. While the situation remains highly fluid, consumers are already beginning to feel the impact as energy markets adjust to this sudden escalation,” warned DeHaan.

According to weekly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), strong demand dropped U.S. gasoline stocks by 3.7 million barrels to 249.5 million barrels, leaving holdings about 5% above the five-year average and up 8.4 million barrels year to year. Crude inventories rose by 3.8 million barrels to 443.1 million barrels in the week ended March 6 amid higher imports and lower exports, the EIA said.

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session on the New York Mercantile Exchange, West Texas Intermediate, the nation’s premium grade of light, sweet crude, gained 3.11%, or $2.98, to settle at $98.71 per barrel. 21 cents to settle at $65.42 a barrel. International Brent futures in London rose 2.67%, or $2.68, to close at $103.14 per barrel.

Arkansas gas prices averaging $3.14 per gallon, still among least expensive markets

According to AAA, Arkansas is tied with Oklahoma for third among the 10 least expensive gasoline markets, behind Kansas ($3.07) and North Dakota ($3.12). Missouri ($3.15), Mississippi ($3.19), South Dakota ($3.21), Kentucky ($3.21), Tennessee ($3.24) and Louisiana $3.26) round out the top ten. 

As always, California still ranks as the nation’s most expensive gasoline market, exceeding the national average by nearly $2 at $5.36 per gallon, largely due to a combination of high taxes and fees, strict emissions standards, reformulated gasoline requirements, special fuel requirements, and limited refinery backup.

Behind California, the nation’s other most expensive gasoline markets are Hawaii ($4.76), Washington ($4.74), Nevada ($4.39), Oregon ($4.30), Arizona ($4.06), Alaska ($3.96), Florida ($3.71), Pennsylvania ($3.66), and Illinois ($3.66). 

For electric car drivers, the national average cost of electricity at a public EV charging station remained at 39 cents per kilowatt-hour. The top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (52 cents), Hawaii (50 cents), Alaska (48 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), South Carolina (44 cents), New Hampshire (44 cents), New Jersey (43 cents), California (42 cents), Idaho (42 cents), and Tennessee (41 cents). 

The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (25 cents), Wyoming (27 cents), Missouri (28 cents), Nebraska (30 cents), Utah (31 cents), Iowa (32 cents), Vermont (32 cents), Maryland (33 cents), New Mexico (33 cents), and Delaware (33 cents). 

For EV vehicle drivers, the nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (54 cents), Hawaii (51 cents), Alaska (50 cents), New Hampshire (47 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), South Carolina (46 cents), California (45 cents), New Jersey (45 cents), Arkansas (44 cents), and North Dakota (43 cents). 

The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (29 cents), Missouri (31 cents), Nebraska (33 cents), Iowa (33 cents), Maryland (33 cents), Utah (34 cents), Vermont (34 cents), South Dakota (34 cents), Delaware (36 cents), and Colorado (38 cents). 

ARKANSAS MARKET
As spring break nears, Arkansas drivers are expected to see a wide variety of pump prices in key markets, GasBuddy and AAA data show. For example, drivers willing to search for the lowest fuel prices can find some stations across the state more than 70 cents below the state average.

For example, drivers eager to drive more miles can find the cheapest gas in the state at the Citgo and Conoco stations in Quitman, where it sells for $2.41 per gallon. According to GasBuddy’s fuel finder, motorists filling up at stations in Rogers, Jonesboro, Manila, Flippin, Fayetteville, Siloam Springs, Monticello, and Greenbrier can find select pump prices ranging from $2.46 and $2.78 per gallon.

Statewide, northwest Arkansas motorists in Fort Smith and the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers markets are paying the lowest average fuel cost at $3.03 and $3.10 a gallon, respectively, to fill up their tanks. The Jonesboro and West Memphis markets in northeast Arkansas are seeing the next-highest prices at $2.89 and $2.87 per gallon, nearly 30 cents higher than last week.

In Central Arkansas, motorists living in or driving through Hot Springs and the Little Rock-North Little Rock area will see gasoline prices averaging $3.15 per gallon. In Pine Bluff, motorists are paying one cent lower at $3.14 per gallon, up 26 cents from a week and a month ago. Arkansas border cities, Texarkana and West Memphis, have the highest prices among the state’s larger urban areas at $3.21 and $3.25 per gallon, respectively. Motorists seeking premium-grade gasoline are paying 82 cents more than the state average, at $3.96 per gallon. As noted, truck drivers and other diesel vehicle operators are paying the steepest prices at $4.44 per gallon, 47 cents