Fuel Prices Are Climbing. Carpooling Is the Easiest Way to Fight Back.

Filling up has rarely felt this painful — no matter which side of the world you’re on.

• In the UK, average diesel prices have climbed to around 191p per litre in April 2026, up roughly 39p in six weeks. A full tank now costs nearly £100 — about £21 more than it did in late February.
• In the US, the national average crossed $4 per gallon for the first time since August 2022, with California hitting $5.89/gallon and diesel topping $6/gallon in many states. Americans now spend close to $200 per month on average just on fuel.
• In Australia, petrol jumped from around A$1.69/L to A$2.19/L in a matter of weeks, with some regional areas pushing past A$2.40/L and diesel breaking A$3/L in several cities. Even a temporary federal excise cut hasn’t fully absorbed the shock.

And this isn’t just a geopolitical blip. Even if the current crisis eases, the long-term trajectory is clear: commuting by car is getting more expensive, and it’s not going back to where it was.

What this really costs your team

For a typical employee driving 30 miles each way to work, fuel costs have quietly jumped by £30–£80 / $50–$100 / A$80–A$150 per month since late February. That’s up to $1,000–$1,500 a year, straight out of their pocket — with no raise attached.

Across the UK, US and Australia, the commute has become the single fastest-growing line in many employees’ personal budgets.

Carpooling: the math is hard to ignore

Sharing a ride with one coworker cuts fuel costs in half. With two, the driver actually comes out ahead.

• A solo driver spending $200/month on fuel drops to $100/month when sharing with one coworker
• Across a year, a regular carpooler saves $1,000 to $2,000 (£800 to £1,600 / A$1,500 to A$3,000)
• In the US, employer-sponsored vanpool and commuter benefits can be offered with pre-tax dollars under IRS Section 132
• In the UK, HMRC Mileage Allowance Payments include a 5p-per-mile tax-free passenger supplement when employees carpool for work
• In Australia, workplace ride-sharing arrangements can reduce FBT exposure while giving staff real relief from pump prices

It’s not just about the money

Carpooling also:

• Cuts commute-related carbon emissions — a growing requirement for Scope 3 ESG reporting
• Reduces parking pressure at the office
• Builds real connections between coworkers who’d otherwise never meet
• Makes hybrid schedules easier to coordinate, not harder

Why most companies haven’t fixed this yet

The idea is simple. The execution is the hard part.

WhatsApp groups die after two weeks. Spreadsheets nobody updates. Awkward “hey, can I chip in for gas?” conversations. For most teams, the friction of organizing carpooling outweighs the savings — so nothing ever happens.

Where TeamWheels comes in

TeamWheels lives inside Microsoft Teams — the tool your team already opens every morning. It automatically matches colleagues based on their routes, schedules, and office days. No second app to download. No admin overhead. No awkward money conversations.

Just a quiet daily reminder that the seat next to you doesn’t have to stay empty — and that your team’s wallets, your company’s reporting, and the planet all benefit when it doesn’t.

Fuel prices aren’t coming back down. But with the right tool, your team’s commute costs can.

👉 See how TeamWheels is helping companies in the UK, US and Australia turn empty seats into $1,000+ in savings per employee per year.

Go deeper: Corporate Carpooling 2026: The Complete Guide — IRS pre-tax benefits, Clean Air Zone compliance, FBT exemptions, ESG reporting, and a 30-day launch plan.