Diesel prices decrease across the U.S.

Diesel prices went up last week across the U.S. in every region, but this week a federal report says diesel prices have gone down across the country in all 10 regions.

The average price of a gallon of on-highway diesel went down 2.3 cents per gallon from the week before, to $3.063 per gallon, for the week ending Monday, Feb. 12, according to the Energy Information Administration. Average prices have risen for each of the three previous weeks.

Two regions have per-gallon diesel prices below $3. The lowest average price is in the Gulf Coast region, where the price is $2.851 per gallon. California has the most expensive average gallon of diesel, $3.689.

Following are the average prices by region as reported by the EIA:

• U.S. – $3.063, down 2.3 cents
• East Coast – $3.111, down 2.2 cents
• New England – $3.154, down 3.4 cents
• Central Atlantic – $3.306, down 1.8 cents
• Lower Atlantic – $2.966, down 2.2 cents
• Midwest – $3.02, down 2.4 cents
• Gulf Coast – $2.851, down 2.3 cents
• Rocky Mountain – $2.972, down nine-tenths of a cent
• West Coast – $3.432, down 3.7 cents
• West Coast less California – $3.107,down 3.7 cents
• California – $3.689, down 2.2 cents

The story according to ProMiles is mostly the same. The average price of a gallon of on-highway diesel on Monday was down 3.1 cents per gallon from the week before, to $3.01 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.

Four regions have per-gallon diesel prices below $3, according to ProMiles. The lowest average price is in the Gulf Coast region, where the price is $2.852 per gallon. California has the most expensive average gallon of diesel, $3.657.

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

• U.S. – $3.01, down 3.1 cents
• East Coast – $3.117, down 2.4 cents
• New England – $3.177, down 2.4 cents
• Central Atlantic – $3.339, down 3.1 cents
• Lower Atlantic – $2.99, down 3.5 cents
• Midwest – $2.998, down 3.3 cents
• Gulf Coast – $2.852, down 3.9 cents
• Rocky Mountain – $2.97, down 1.8 cents
• West Coast – $3.297, down 4.4 cents
• West Coast less California – $3.06, down 3.8 cents
• California – $3.657, down 3.9 cents

AAA has indexed diesel prices at $2.992 for Monday. A week ago, the price was $2.998 per gallon, a month ago $2.921 per gallon and a year ago, $2.51 per gallon.

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