Diesel continues to be the driving force of freight transport throughout North America, yet the dynamics around the fuel have become quite different from previous years. One trend emerged as a clear common thread during the recent discussions of fleets at ACT Expo 2026, decarbonization without disrupting the entire operation.
This perfectly explains why renewable diesel, biodiesel, and renewable natural gas (RNG) became so popular among fleet operators in recent months. While these alternative fuels were on the list of options before, the current market environment created a sense of urgency for them. Rising diesel prices makes the need to find alternative ways to save budgets obvious. Meanwhile, relaxed emissions standards give fleets more flexibility in selecting the best available option rather than rushing with an overly aggressive choice.
To put it simply, many fleets today are trying to answer this question: What can we achieve this year with our existing trucks and without overhauling our maintenance strategies? The answer appears straightforward for many operations, renewable fuels.
Why fleets are leaning into renewable fuels now
For most trucking companies, the biggest barrier to change is not interest. It is an operational disruption.
While battery-electric and hydrogen vehicles are important aspects of a green future for logistics, they require considerable changes in infrastructure, maintenance practices, operational route planning, dwell times, and procurement policies. Alternative fuels are quite different in this regard, they can be applied in the existing fleet operations and supply chains seamlessly.
At ACT Expo 2026, that “minimal technology change” advantage was front and center:
- Renewable diesel can act as a pure drop-in replacement for petroleum diesel across a wide range of applications.
- Biodiesel can frequently be used in blends, and in some cases as high as B100 if engine approval and operating conditions allow for it.
- RNG (most commonly in its CNG or LNG forms) can provide a compelling, sustainable story, with payback periods as little as a few years – especially if derived from biogas.
Renewable diesel: the drop-in option fleets love
Renewable diesel is getting popular due to its familiar nature. It is engineered to become a drop-in replacement for petroleum diesel without the need for special engine types or extensive changes in maintenance routines. For fleets that want to reduce lifecycle carbon intensity without changing how trucks are fueled and run, renewable diesel has a clear appeal.
What is driving interest is not just sustainability marketing. It is practicality:
- It can allow fleets to move quickly, sometimes with little more than a fuel supply change.
- It supports ESG and shipper-driven sustainability targets.
- It can serve as an interim solution while fleets evaluate longer-term powertrain transitions.
The challenge, as many fleet managers will tell you, is not whether renewable diesel works. It is whether it is consistently available in their lanes at a price that makes sense month after month.
Biodiesel: the bridge fuel filling gaps
That’s why biodiesel will continue to play its role as a solution. Being around for decades now, biodiesel has proven itself to be a relevant option since it can bridge the cost gap between renewable diesel prices and their availability.
Biodiesel was mentioned repeatedly at ACT Expo 2026 as the best “in time” option, which allows for taking steps now, even if there’s little or no availability of renewable diesel on the local fuel market or its price tag is too high.
Biodiesel blends can be deployed strategically in certain terminals, seasons, or duty cycles, helping fleets build renewable fuel experience without betting everything on a single supply chain.
Flexibility serves as another reason why biodiesel maintains its appeal. Some fleets are able to operate at higher biodiesel blends that reach up to B100 based on their specific equipment approvals and operational needs. The statement shows that biodiesel can be implemented through systematic expansion because B100 does not fit every operational situation. The most feasible solution for most fleets requires them to combine renewable diesel with biodiesel into their operations. The approach needs to use a portfolio method which combines biodiesel to achieve current objectives while renewable diesel grows with its supply availability.
How to choose between renewable diesel, biodiesel, and RNG
The most practical way to think about renewable fuels is not as competitors, but as tools that fit different constraints.
Here is a simple decision framework that fleets are using:
Renewable diesel is a strong fit if you want:
- the smoothest operational transition from petroleum diesel,
- minimal vehicle technology changes,
- and a fast way to reduce lifecycle emissions where supply is reliable.
Biodiesel is a strong fit if you want:
- a flexible blending strategy,
- a way to manage renewable diesel availability or pricing challenges,
- and an option that can scale up or down by terminal, season, or lane.
RNG is a strong fit if you want:
- a dedicated alternative fuel program with measurable sustainability impact,
- a solution that can deliver a business-case payback in the right duty cycles,
- and a pathway that pairs well with return-to-base or fixed-route operations.
Many fleets end up using more than one. For example, they may run renewable diesel or biodiesel for broad coverage, while deploying RNG tractors in a specific region where infrastructure and routes make the economics compelling.
The bottom line
At ACT Expo 2026, renewable fuels were not positioned as a niche option. They were positioned as the practical middle path: meaningful reduction of emissions without having to wait until all depots get to their chargers or hydrogen fueling stations.
Biodiesel remains relevant due to bridging the gap between supply and cost. RNG is gaining a lot of traction thanks to its ability to create a sustainable story with payback periods of just a few years if applied properly.
But the most critical point to make here is that fleets are not choosing their one fuel solution. They are selecting a portfolio that suits their needs.
Get in touch with I-55 Truck & Trailer Repair at 870-635-4003 to learn more about the benefits renewable fuels can bring to your operation. Let’s move towards the future together!