Diesel fuel prices keep dropping across the U.S.

The average price for a gallon of diesel fuel across the U.S. dropped more than 7 cents per gallon from last Monday, according to a March 23 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration

This is the 11th week of consecutive decreases. Weekly average diesel fuel prices for the U.S. have been dropping since Jan. 6.

Regional average price decreases ranged from 5.4 cents in the Lower Atlantic region to 9.2 cents in the Midwest.

The average per gallon price is below $3 in every region except California and the West Coast including California. The West Coast without California also dropped below $3 per gallon.

A year ago, the average U.S. price was 42.1 cents higher.

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

• U.S. – $2.659, down 7.4 cents.
• East Coast – $2.724, down 6.5 cents.
• New England – $2.849, down 6.9 cents.
• Central Atlantic – $2.911, down 7.8 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.573, down 5.4 cents.
• Midwest – $2.499, down 9.2 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $2.438, down 6.6 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.68, down 6.2 cents.
• West Coast – $3.248, down 7.4 cents.
• West Coast without California – $2.879, down 7.5 cents.
• California – $3.552, down 7.3 cents.

ProMiles.com reports the average price for diesel fuel in the U.S. on Monday, March 16, dropped 8.1 cents from the Monday 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.

Price drops ranged from 5.7 cents per gallon in the Rocky Mountain region and 5.8 cents on the West Coast without California to 9.2 cents in the Midwest and 9.1 cents in California.

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

• U.S. – $2.574, down 8.1 cents.
• East Coast – $2.679, down 6.4 cents.
• New England – $2.839, down 8 cents.
• Central Atlantic – $2.88, down 6.9 cents.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.544, down 6.2 cents.
• Midwest – $2.512, down 9.2 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $2.437, down 7.9 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.661, down 5.7 cents.
• West Coast – $3.084, down 7 cents.
• West Coast less California – $2.84, down 5.8 cents.
• California – $3.426, down 9.1 cents.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported the retail average U.S. price per gallon of diesel fuel at $2.667 for Monday, March 23.

A week previous the average retail U.S. price for a gallon of diesel fuel was $2.741 per gallon.

A month previous, AAA reported $2.876 per gallon of diesel, and a year ago $3.02 per gallon.

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

Last week’s fuel report is here.