Declining diesel price trend seems to be sputtering

Five weeks of consecutive drops in the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel across the U.S. has extended to a sixth week, but just barely. That’s according to the weekly report issued for Monday, July 1, by the Energy Information Administration.

The EIA reports the average price for the U.S. dropped just one-tenth of a cent. The price-declining trend seems to be sputtering, with small fluctuations from last week in all regions.

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

• U.S. – $3.042, down one-tenth of a cent.
• East Coast – $3.08, up one-tenth of a cent.
• New England – $3.135, down one-tenth of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.27, up 1.2 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.941, down a half cent.
• Midwest – $2.924, down one-fifth of a cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.803, up three-fifths of a cent.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.998, down 3.2 cents.
• West Coast – $3.628, down three-tenths of a cent.
• West Coast without California – $3.205, down one-tenth of a cent.
• California – $3.963, down a half cent.

The national average U.S. retail price for diesel fuel on Monday, July 1, dropped below $3 per gallon, according to ProMiles.

The average national and regional prices for diesel fuel were again lower than the previous week, the decreases were smaller than they have been. Decrease for the East Coast, Midwest and Gulf Coast regions were all less than a penny.

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.

Decreases in all regions brought the average retail price for a gallon of diesel under $3 in the Lower Atlantic, Midwest and Gulf Coast regions. California’s average price ducked just under the $4 per gallon line.

The biggest regional decreases from a week ago were in California, the West Coast and Rocky Mountain states.

The smallest decreases were in the Central Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions.

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

• U.S. – $2.94, down nine-tenths of a cent.
• East Coast – $3.035, down four-fifths of a cent.
• New England – $3.088, down seven-tenths of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.231, down four-fifths of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.923, down seven-tenths of a cent.
• Midwest – $2.876, down nine-tenths of a cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.801, down seven-tenths of a cent.Rocky Mountain – $2.982, down 1.8 cents.
• West Coast – $3.448, down 1.5 cents.
• West Coast less California – $3.143, down 1.3 cents.
• California – $3.871, down 1.4 cents.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported a national average price per gallon for diesel fuel at $2.997 for Monday, July 1.

A week previous, the price was $2.993, one-fifth of a cent lower.

A month previous, AAA reported $3.085 per gallon of diesel fuel, and a year ago $3.165 per gallon, or 16.8 cents higher.

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