# NEMT Fuel Cost Calculator (2027): What Each Van Spends on Fuel

Canonical URL: https://nemtguide.com/tools/nemt-fuel-cost-calculator/ · Updated 2026-09-29

This calculator shows what one NEMT van spends on fuel. It divides the miles the van drives in a month by its real miles per gallon, then multiplies by what you pay for a gallon. With the example numbers, 3,000 miles at 15 miles per gallon and $4.50 a gallon cost $900 a month, $10,800 a year, and 30 cents a mile.

- Fuel a month = miles a month ÷ miles per gallon × price per gallon. Count every odometer mile, empty ones included.
- Use the miles per gallon from your own fill-ups. EPA ratings are for the vehicle as built, and most full-size vans have none.
- Every 10 cents a gallon adds $20 a month to the example van. Regular gas cost $1.305 more the week of September 21, 2026 than a year earlier.
- Medicaid rates change when the state or broker changes them, not with the pump price, and you cannot bill a member for fuel. Minnesota's law is an exception.
- On private-pay rides and facility contracts, a written fuel clause tied to EIA's weekly price lets your price follow fuel.

Use the calculator on the web page: https://nemtguide.com/tools/nemt-fuel-cost-calculator/

## What the fuel cost calculator does

Fuel prices change every week. This calculator turns three numbers you already have into a fuel budget for one van: the miles it drives in a month, the miles it gets per gallon, and what you pay for a gallon.

It shows five results. The headline is fuel a month. Under it are fuel a year, fuel cost per mile, gallons a month, and what 10 cents more a gallon adds to the month.

Use it to plan cash, to see how much of a trip's pay goes into the tank, and to know what a jump at the pump will cost before the fuel card bill arrives. Run it once for each van. A hybrid minivan and a full-size lift van burn fuel at very different rates, and a fleet average hides the thirsty one.

Count every mile. CMS says Medicaid generally cannot pay for miles driven with no member on board, and that includes the drive back after a no-show (SMD 23-006, September 28, 2023). The fuel for those [deadhead miles](https://nemtguide.com/glossary/deadhead-miles/) still comes out of your pocket, so the calculator uses all of them.

## How to use the calculator

1. Pick one van and one full recent month.
2. Enter the miles it drove: the odometer at the end of the month minus the odometer at the start.
3. Enter its real miles per gallon, measured from your own fill-ups (the steps are below).
4. Enter what you pay for a gallon. For last month, use the average on your fuel card statement. To plan ahead, use EIA's weekly price for your region.
5. Read fuel a month at the top. Under it are the year, the cost per mile, the gallons, and the 10-cent line.

The results change as you type. **Reset to example** puts the example numbers back, and **Show the formula** lists every step of the math.

## What each number means

| Box | What to enter | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Miles a month | Every mile the van drove in the month, empty miles included | Odometer readings on the first and last [trip logs](https://nemtguide.com/templates/nemt-trip-log-template/) of the month |
| Miles per gallon | The van's real average: miles driven ÷ gallons bought | Fuel card statements or receipts, with the odometer written down at each fill |
| Fuel price per gallon | What you pay for a gallon of the fuel this van uses, gas or diesel | Your fuel card statement, or EIA's weekly average for your region |

### How to measure your real miles per gallon

1. Fill the tank and write down the odometer.
2. Drive the van as usual, waits and idling included.
3. At the next fill, fill to the same point and write down the odometer and the gallons.
4. Divide the miles driven by the gallons bought.

A month of fill-ups gives a steadier number than one tank. If your fuel card asks drivers for the odometer at each purchase, its reports can do this math, as long as the odometer entries are right. FuelEconomy.gov also runs a free fill-up tracker called My MPG.

Your own number beats any rating because it holds your real day. Fuel burned while a van idles outside a clinic adds gallons but no miles, so it lowers your average, and the calculator then counts it.

## A worked example

The calculator opens with example numbers that show how the math works. They are not market rates, so replace them with your own.

| Step | Math | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Gallons a month | 3,000 miles ÷ 15 miles per gallon | 200 |
| Fuel a month | 200 gallons × $4.50 | $900.00 |
| Fuel a year | $900 × 12 | $10,800 |
| Fuel cost per mile | $4.50 ÷ 15 miles per gallon | $0.30 |
| What 10 cents more a gallon adds a month | 200 gallons × $0.10 | $20.00 |

The price box starts at $4.50, which is EIA's U.S. average for regular gasoline for the week of September 21, 2026, $4.478, rounded to the dime. The 3,000 miles and 15 miles per gallon are round example numbers. They are the same ones the [cost per mile calculator](https://nemtguide.com/tools/nemt-cost-per-mile-calculator/) uses, so its $900 fuel box matches this result.

Fuel cost per mile works for a single trip too. At 30 cents a mile, a trip with 10 miles carrying the rider and 5 empty miles to reach the pickup uses 15 × $0.30 = $4.50 of fuel. The guide to [NEMT cost per trip](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-cost-per-trip/) adds the driver, the van, and the office.

### How miles per gallon changes the month

The same 3,000 miles at $4.50 a gallon:

| Miles per gallon | Gallons a month | Fuel a month | Fuel cost per mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 300 | $1,350 | $0.45 |
| 12 | 250 | $1,125 | $0.38 |
| 15 | 200 | $900.00 | $0.30 |
| 18 | 166.7 | $750.00 | $0.25 |
| 22 | 136.4 | $613.64 | $0.20 |
| 36 | 83.3 | $375.00 | $0.13 |

## Fuel prices in September 2026

EIA surveys retail fuel prices each week and posts them every Tuesday. For the week of September 21, 2026, regular gasoline averaged $4.478 a gallon across the U.S., $1.305 more than a year earlier. On-highway diesel averaged $6.529, $2.780 more than a year earlier. EIA's prices include all taxes.

Here is what the example van's 200 gallons of gas would cost in each region that week.

| Region (EIA) | Regular gasoline | Diesel | 200 gallons of gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | $4.478 | $6.529 | $895.60 |
| East Coast | $4.285 | $6.268 | $857.00 |
| Midwest | $4.386 | $6.680 | $877.20 |
| Gulf Coast | $3.972 | $6.177 | $794.40 |
| Rocky Mountain | $4.510 | $6.340 | $902.00 |
| West Coast | $5.600 | $7.456 | $1,120 |
| California | $6.003 | $8.246 | $1,201 |

The same van driving the same miles costs about $406 more a month to fuel in California than on the Gulf Coast. EIA also lists gasoline prices for nine states (California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas, and Washington) and ten cities. Use the closest one to plan and your own receipts to budget.

Taxes explain part of the gap between states. As of January 2026, federal tax was 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents on diesel, and state taxes averaged 33.27 cents and 35.50 cents (EIA).

### Gas or diesel

Diesel cost about 46% more than regular gasoline that week ($6.529 ÷ $4.478 = 1.46). So a diesel van needs about 46% more miles per gallon than a gas van to spend the same on fuel per mile. A gas van at 15 miles per gallon spent about 30 cents a mile at $4.478. A diesel van would need about 21.9 miles per gallon to match it. EIA's September 9, 2026 outlook says low diesel inventories are keeping diesel prices high, with the strongest effect during the fall and winter.

## Miles per gallon for common NEMT vehicles

EPA ratings are a fair starting point when you shop for a van. For NEMT work, look at the city number, because most trips are short, with stops and waits.

| 2026 vehicle, as built | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler Pacifica, 3.6 L V6 | 19 | 28 | 22 |
| Chrysler Voyager, 3.6 L V6 | 19 | 28 | 22 |
| Honda Odyssey, 3.5 L V6 | 19 | 28 | 22 |
| Kia Carnival, 3.5 L V6 | 18 | 25 | 21 |
| Kia Carnival Hybrid | 34 | 31 | 32 |
| Toyota Sienna hybrid, front-wheel drive | 36 | 36 | 36 |
| Toyota Sienna hybrid, all-wheel drive | 35 | 36 | 35 |
| Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (plug-in), on gasoline | 29 | 30 | 30 |

Figures are EPA miles per gallon from FuelEconomy.gov. A wheelchair conversion adds a ramp or lift and securement gear to the vehicle that was rated. FuelEconomy.gov estimates that an extra 100 pounds cuts fuel economy by about 1%, with less effect on heavier vehicles.

New full-size vans have no EPA rating at all. Cargo vans with a gross vehicle weight rating over 8,500 pounds and passenger vans rated at 10,000 pounds or more are exempt from testing. FuelEconomy.gov carries no 2026 rating for the Ford Transit, Chevrolet Express, GMC Savana, Ram ProMaster, or Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Some older vans do have one: the 2022 Ford Transit 150 passenger wagon is rated 15 miles per gallon in the city, 19 on the highway, and 17 combined. For the rest, your fill-up log is the only number there is. The guide to minivans and full-size wheelchair vans covers the other trade-offs.

## Why a van burns more fuel than its rating

Every item in this table is already in your number if you measure miles per gallon from fill-ups. The last column shows what each would do to the example van's $900 month. Measure again each season, because miles per gallon from summer fill-ups will make a winter month look cheaper than it is.

| What happens | Effect on fuel (FuelEconomy.gov) | What it does to the example month |
|---|---|---|
| Idling during waits | A quarter to a half gallon an hour, depending on engine size and air conditioning | One hour a day for 22 days adds $24.75 to $49.50 |
| Winter city driving at 20°F | About 15% fewer miles per gallon than at 77°F for a gas vehicle, up to 24% on trips of 3 to 4 miles, and more for hybrids | 15 miles per gallon becomes 12.75: $1,058.82, or $158.82 more |
| Air conditioning in very hot weather | Can cut fuel economy by more than 25%, most on short trips | A 25% drop: $1,200, or $300 more |
| Aggressive driving | 10% to 40% lower in stop-and-go traffic, 15% to 30% at highway speeds | A 10% drop: $1,000, or $100 more |
| Highway speed above 50 mph | Each 5 mph faster is like paying about 30 cents more a gallon (at $4.32 gas) | Depends on how much highway driving the van does |
| Low tires | About 0.2% lower for each 1 psi drop in average pressure | Small alone, but it adds up across a fleet |

A few habits cut the waste. Turn the engine off during long waits when no one is aboard: FuelEconomy.gov says any stop longer than a minute saves money if the engine is started about 10 times a day or fewer. Keep riders comfortable first, because a rider waiting in a hot or cold van comes before the fuel. Set tire pressure to the number on the driver's door jamb, not the maximum printed on the tire. The guide to cutting NEMT fuel costs covers fuel cards, routing, and driver habits, and the [wait time cost calculator](https://nemtguide.com/tools/nemt-wait-time-cost-calculator/) prices the waits themselves.

## How to use the answer

- **Plan cash.** You pay for fuel at the pump weeks before a claim pays. The cash reserve calculator adds fuel to payroll and insurance for the months claims are pending.
- **Price trips.** Multiply fuel cost per mile by all the miles a trip takes, the empty miles to the pickup included. The [trip price calculator](https://nemtguide.com/tools/nemt-trip-price-calculator/) combines it with repairs, driver time, and profit.
- **Compare vans.** Run each van for the same month. A van getting far fewer miles per gallon than its twin may need service. FuelEconomy.gov says a lit check-engine light can mean a problem that lowers fuel economy.
- **Choose the next van.** At the EPA city ratings, a V6 minivan at 19 miles per gallon would burn $710.53 of fuel over the example month and a hybrid Sienna at 36 would burn $375. That is $335.53 a month, or $4,026.36 a year, before conversion weight. Weigh it against the price gap in the guide to [wheelchair van costs](https://nemtguide.com/guides/wheelchair-van-cost/).
- **Watch the 10-cent line.** It tells you what every swing at the pump costs. Multiply it by the number of vans you run.

## Does Medicaid pay more when fuel prices rise

Usually not right away. Medicaid fee schedules and broker agreements pay set rates, often a base rate plus a rate per loaded mile. Those rates change when the state or the broker changes them, not when the pump price moves. The guide to [NEMT mileage billing](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-mileage-billing/) explains which miles are paid.

You also cannot pass fuel on to the rider. Under 42 CFR 447.15, a Medicaid provider accepts the program's payment, plus any copay or other cost sharing the state plan requires, as payment in full.

### Minnesota ties mileage rates to gas prices

Minnesota is one state that writes a fuel adjustment into law. Minnesota Statutes section 256B.0625, subdivision 17, adjusts its fee-for-service NEMT mileage rates on the first day of each calendar quarter in which EIA's posted gasoline price is above $3.00 a gallon. The rate moves 1% up or down for every 10 cents, measured from a $3.00 base, using EIA's latest average price of all grades of gasoline in Minnesota.

For example, at $4.00 a gallon the mileage rate is 10% higher. The statute's $1.70 a mile for lift-equipped or ramp trips would then pay $1.87. Subdivision 18h separately requires Minnesota's managed care plans to include a fuel adjustment in their NEMT rates when fuel is above $3 a gallon.

A law signed May 27, 2026 (Laws 2026, chapter 121) keeps both rules until Minnesota's new statewide or regional NEMT administrator starts. The state must give counties and health plans six months' notice before that happens.

### The IRS rate is not a Medicaid rate

The IRS raised its business standard mileage rate from 72.5 cents to 76 cents a mile on July 1, 2026, and said the change came from recent increases in the price of fuel (Announcement 2026-11). That rate is for tax deductions and employee mileage pay. It does not change what Medicaid or a broker pays you. In other states, ask about fuel terms when your broker or health plan agreement comes up for renewal, and bring your numbers from this calculator.

## How to add a fuel clause to private-pay and facility prices

You set your own prices for private-pay riders and for facilities that buy rides, so you can build fuel in. EIA says it does not calculate or regulate fuel surcharges. Companies negotiate them privately, and many base theirs on EIA's weekly retail price.

1. **Pick a base price.** Choose the gallon price your current rates already cover, such as $4.00.
2. **Name the index.** Use EIA's weekly regular gasoline or diesel price for your region, and say when you reset it, such as the first of each month using the latest weekly price.
3. **Set the math.** Fuel charge per mile = (index price minus base price) ÷ your miles per gallon.
4. **Put it in writing.** Add it to your price sheet or the facility contract, and say whether the charge also comes off when prices fall below the base.

With a $4.00 base, a $4.50 index price, and a van getting 15 miles per gallon, the charge is $0.50 ÷ 15 = about 3.3 cents a mile. A 20-mile round trip adds about 67 cents. Quote it before the ride. The guides to [private-pay NEMT](https://nemtguide.com/guides/private-pay-nemt/) and [facility contracts](https://nemtguide.com/guides/how-to-get-nemt-facility-contracts/) cover how to set and present prices.

## Planning next year's fuel budget

EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook of September 9, 2026 forecast regular gasoline at an average of $3.95 a gallon for October to December 2026 and $3.35 for 2027. It forecast on-highway diesel at $5.55 and $4.40. That forecast was finished September 3, 2026, and it assumes oil shipments out of the Middle East gradually recover. Weekly prices kept rising after it was made, to $4.478 for gasoline and $6.529 for diesel by September 21. EIA updates the outlook every month, and the next one is due October 6, 2026.

So plan with a range, not one number. Here is the example van's fuel at several prices.

| Price per gallon | Fuel a month | Fuel a year |
|---|---|---|
| $3.50 | $700.00 | $8,400 |
| $4.00 | $800.00 | $9,600 |
| $4.50 | $900.00 | $10,800 |
| $5.00 | $1,000 | $12,000 |
| $5.50 | $1,100 | $13,200 |
| $6.50 | $1,300 | $15,600 |

For every 10 cents a gallon, the example van adds $20 a month, or $240 a year. For a five-van fleet like it, that is $1,200 a year for each 10 cents. Fuel is also a tax deduction as an actual vehicle expense. The mileage deduction calculator compares actual expenses with the IRS standard rate, and the guide to [NEMT business taxes](https://nemtguide.com/guides/nemt-business-taxes/) covers the rules for fleets.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does fuel cost for a NEMT van?

It depends on the miles, the van, and your local price. A van that drives 3,000 miles a month at 15 miles per gallon burns 200 gallons. At $4.50 a gallon that is $900 a month and $10,800 a year. EIA put the U.S. average for regular gasoline at $4.478 for the week of September 21, 2026, from $3.972 on the Gulf Coast to $5.600 on the West Coast.

### What gas mileage does a wheelchair van get?

There is no single number. EPA rates the 2026 Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Voyager, and Honda Odyssey V6 minivans at 19 miles per gallon in the city, and the front-wheel-drive hybrid Toyota Sienna at 36. Those ratings are for the vehicle before a ramp or lift is added. FuelEconomy.gov lists no 2026 rating for full-size vans such as the Ford Transit or Chevrolet Express, so measure your own from fill-ups.

### Does fuel burned while idling show up in the calculator?

Yes, if you enter the miles per gallon you measured from your own fill-ups. Fuel burned while the van waits at a dialysis center adds gallons but no miles, so it lowers your real average. FuelEconomy.gov says idling uses a quarter to a half gallon an hour, depending on engine size and air conditioning. A rating cannot know how long your vans wait with the engine running.

### Will Medicaid or my broker pay a fuel surcharge?

Usually not. Fee schedules and broker agreements set fixed rates, often a base rate plus a rate per loaded mile, and those change only when the state or broker changes them. Under 42 CFR 447.15 you must accept the Medicaid payment, plus any copay or other cost sharing the state plan requires, as payment in full, so you cannot add a fuel charge to the member. Minnesota is an exception: its statute adjusts NEMT mileage rates each quarter when gas is above $3.00 a gallon.

### Can I add a fuel surcharge to private-pay rides?

Yes. Tell the rider or facility before the ride and put the method in writing. EIA does not calculate or regulate fuel surcharges. They are negotiated privately, and many transportation companies base theirs on EIA's weekly retail price, updated every Tuesday. A simple method is the price above your base price, divided by your miles per gallon, charged per mile.

### Can I deduct fuel on my taxes?

Yes, as an actual car expense. IRS Publication 463 lists gas among actual expenses, alongside repairs, tires, insurance, and depreciation. If you use the standard mileage rate for a vehicle instead, you cannot also deduct its gasoline or gasoline taxes. A company using five or more vehicles at the same time cannot use the standard mileage rate at all. Ask your tax preparer which method fits.

### Is a diesel van cheaper to fuel than a gas van?

Only if it gets enough more miles per gallon. For the week of September 21, 2026, on-highway diesel averaged $6.529 a gallon and regular gasoline $4.478, so diesel cost about 46% more. A diesel van needs about 46% more miles per gallon than a gas van to spend the same on fuel per mile. Enter each van's own numbers to compare them.

### Does the calculator work for a hybrid or electric van?

It works for a hybrid: enter the miles per gallon from your fill-ups and the price of the gasoline you buy. It does not fit an electric van, which buys electricity by the kilowatt-hour, not the gallon. For a plug-in hybrid, the calculator counts only the gasoline, so add charging costs as their own line in your budget.

## Official resources

- [EIA: Weekly gasoline and diesel prices by region, state, and city](https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/)
- [EIA: Short-Term Energy Outlook (monthly price forecasts)](https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/)
- [FuelEconomy.gov: Find and compare vehicle fuel economy](https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.shtml)
- [FuelEconomy.gov: My MPG, a free fill-up tracker](https://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do)
- [FuelEconomy.gov: Gas mileage tips](https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp)
- [IRS: Publication 463, Travel, Gift, and Car Expenses](https://www.irs.gov/publications/p463)