Average diesel price in U.S. drops after weeks of increases

After five weeks of consecutive increases in the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel across the U.S., the price dropped just over a penny from last week, according to the federal Energy Information Administration.

According to the EIA’s weekly report on Monday, May 13, average prices decreased in all regions from the Rocky Mountains east. On the other side of the Rockies, prices went up 2.5 cents per gallon for the West Coast, including California, and 3.9 cent for California by itself.

The 6.2-cent increase in California’s average diesel fuel price pushed the average for the West Coast up.

Following are the average prices for diesel fuel by region as reported by the EIA for Monday:

• U.S. – $3.16, down 1.1 cents.
• East Coast – $3.176, down 1.4 cents.
• New England – $3.238, down seven-tenths of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.365, down 1.4 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $3.035, down 1.6 cents.
• Midwest – $3.046, down 1.8 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $2.905, down 2.2 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $3.181, down a half cent.
• West Coast – $3.79, up 2.5 cents.
• West Coast without California – $3.355, up 1 cent.
• California – $4136, up 3.9 cents.

According to ProMiles, the national average U.S. retail price for diesel fuel on Monday, May 13, decreased by less than a penny. Despite that, the average price in California went up 6.8 center per gallon of diesel fuel, pushing the price above $4 per gallon.

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.

Following are the average prices by region as reported by the ProMiles.com:

• U.S. – $3.071, down four-fifths of a cent.
• East Coast – $3.147, down 1 cent.
• New England – $3.188, up 1 cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.343, down two-fifths of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $3.04, down 1.1 cents.
• Midwest – $3.015, down 1 cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.917, down 1.7 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $3.168, up three-tenths of a cent.
• West Coast – $3.613, up 3.8 cents.
• West Coast less California – $3.284, three-tenths of a cent.
• California – $4.061, up 6.8 cents.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported a national average price per gallon for diesel fuel at $3.10 for Monday, May 13.

A week previous, the price was $3.106

A month previous, AAA reported $3.063 per gallon of diesel fuel and a year ago $3.13 per gallon.

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