Australian motorists are continuing to change the way they drive and refuel months after fuel prices surged above $2.40 per litre, according to new analysis of almost 220,000 fuel transactions.
The research, using anonymised fuel-card data from Maxxia salary packaging customers, shows drivers responded quickly when average fuel prices climbed from about $1.79 per litre in February 2026 to more than $2.43 per litre in March.
While prices had eased to around $2.06 per litre by May, the data suggests many motorists had not fully returned to their previous habits.
In March, the share of fuel transactions at $2 per litre or more jumped from just over 10 per cent to 83.4 per cent. Median fill sizes fell by more than five per cent, while small top-up purchases of less than 20 litres more than doubled from 3.4 per cent to 8.4 per cent.
By May, fill sizes had largely recovered but remained below February levels. Large fills of 60 litres or more were still 13 per cent less common than before the fuel-price spike.
The analysis also found drivers were travelling further between refuelling stops. The typical distance between fills increased from 533km in February to 567km in May.
The time between visits to the bowser also rose sharply, from an average of 8.6 days in February to 11.1 days in March, 12.5 days in April and 13.5 days in May.
Maxxia CEO Antonia Albanese said the results showed cost-of-living pressure being reflected in day-to-day driving decisions.
“For many of our customers, the car isn’t a luxury – it’s how they get to work, visit clients, or support their family,” Albanese said.
“When prices spiked, people reacted immediately. They put less in the tank, did fewer big fills, and started stretching each tank further.
“What’s striking is that even when prices began to come down, they didn’t completely go back to old habits. The fuel shock has clearly changed the way many Australians drive and refuel.”
The strongest change was among very high-use drivers travelling more than 120 kilometres per day. Their average travel fell from 181km per day in February to 99km in April, a reduction of about 45 per cent, and remained significantly below previous levels in May.
Drivers in the 60km to 120km daily category showed a smaller decline, moving from 83km per day in February to 76km in April and May. This suggests there is a core level of driving for work, family and essential trips that is harder to cut.
“The heaviest drivers in our data have cut their kilometres by almost half and kept them there,” Albanese said.
“For people who can’t simply stop driving, that tells you just how hard they’re working to absorb these costs.”
For fleet managers, the data is a reminder that fuel-price movements can influence more than operating budgets. Higher fuel costs may affect employee travel patterns, private vehicle use for work, trip planning and the frequency of refuelling.
It also reinforces the value of clear reimbursement policies and vehicle-cost support for employees who need to remain mobile for work.
Maxxia said salary packaging and novated leasing can help eligible employees manage vehicle expenses, including fuel, finance and maintenance costs, through pre-tax income arrangements.
“In a cost-of-living environment where you can’t always choose to drive less, the lever you do have is how you manage those costs,” Albanese said.
“Salary packaging and novated leasing can’t change the price on the bowser, but they can help smooth and structure one of the biggest household expenses.”
The research indicates that the March fuel spike may have created a more enduring behavioural shift, with motorists now making fewer large purchases, delaying refuelling and paying closer attention to every kilometre travelled.
