Federal report shows diesel prices barely budging

The U.S. average diesel fuel price per gallon dropped less than a penny from one week ago, according to a weekly federal report dated Monday, Aug. 3.

Neither the national average diesel price nor any regional average varied much from a week ago, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The federal data contrasts with the fuel data compiled by ProMiles.com, which shows a swing in the national average of nearly 4 cents.One year ago the average U.S. price was 60.8 cents per gallon higher, according to the EIA.

Average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel as reported by the EIA:

• U.S. – $2.423, down three-tenths of a cent.
• East Coast – $2.517, down one-fifth of a cent.
• New England – $2.631, up one-tenth of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $2.696, down one-fifth of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.375, down one-fifth of a cent.
• Midwest – $2.298, down three-tenths of a cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.175, down four-fifths of a cent.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.343, up one-tenth of a cent.
• West Coast – $2.955, up one-tenth of a cent.
• West Coast without California – $2.592, up three-fifths of a cent.
• California – $3.253, down three-tenths of a cent.

ProMiles.com reports the average retail price for diesel per gallon in the U.S. on Monday, Aug. 3, went up 3.7 cents from a week before.

ProMiles, the software company that maintains the websites ProMiles.com and TruckMiles.com, offers its own weekly fuel price information. The company’s fuel price data are presented in the same format used by the EIA in the agency’s weekly reports. The prices include a national average as well as regional averages and comparisons to the previous week and the previous year.

A key difference between the EIA and ProMiles reporting is the type and number of fueling stations the company surveys in order to calculate its averages. While EIA surveys 400 truck stops and convenience stores nationwide, ProMiles uses its direct feed from thousands of truck stops to develop its averages.

By far the biggest change recorded by ProMiles was the 18.3-cent increase in the average diesel price for the Gulf Coast region. The Gulf Coast went from having the lowest average diesel price per gallon last Monday to being third from the bottom.

The Midwest has the lowest regional average diesel price at $2.251 per gallon, ProMiles reports.

The U.S. average price is 56.3 cents lower than one year ago, ProMiles reports.

Here are the average U.S. prices for a gallon of diesel reported for each region by ProMiles.com:

• U.S. – $2.374, up 3.7 cents.
• East Coast – $2.463, down four-fifths of a cent.
• New England – $2.624, up 1.9 cents.
• Central Atlantic – $2.635, down 1.5 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.349, down two-fifths of a cent.
• Midwest – $2.251, down two-fifths of a cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.417, up 18.3 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.369, up 3.2 cents.
• West Coast – $2.726, down one-tenth of a cent.
• West Coast without California – $2.475, down a half cent.
• California – $3.142, up three-tenths of a cent.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported the retail average U.S. price per gallon of diesel at $2.43 for Monday, Aug. 3.

A week previous the average retail U.S. price for a gallon of diesel was $2.432 per gallon.

A month previous, AAA reported $2.438 per gallon of diesel, and a year ago $2.987 per gallon.

The highest recorded retail average U.S. diesel price was $4.845 per gallon on July 17, 2008, according to AAA.

Last week’s fuel report is here.