Diesel prices go up, ending a six-week slide

The downward trend for diesel prices hit the brakes this week. The average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel went up 3.8 cents, ending six consecutive weeks of declining prices, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The average price for a gallon of diesel on Monday, March 26, was $3.01. On Monday, March 19, it was $2.972 per gallon.

The biggest increase, according to the EIA, was in West Coast states other than California, where the prices of a gallon of diesel fuel went up 87 cents.

The smallest increase was in New England states, where the average prices for a gallon of diesel went down 1.4 cents.

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

• U.S. – $3.01, up 3.8 cents
• East Coast – $3.038, up 2.9 cents
• New England – $3.115, up 1.4 cents
• Central Atlantic – $3.217, up 1.7 cents
• Lower Atlantic – $2.898, up 4 cents
• Midwest – $2.934, up 3.6 cents
• Gulf Coast – $2.823, up 3.7 cents
• Rocky Mountain – $2.991, up 6.6 cents
• West Coast less California – $3.147, up 8.7 cents
• California – $3.669, up 2.8 cents.

ProMiles reports that the average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel went up 4.5 cents. On Monday, the average price across the U.S. was $2.946 per gallon. A week before it was $2.901.

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.

None of the increases reported by ProMiles was under a penny. In fact, diesel prices in Rocky Mountain states went up 8 cents and up 7.9 cents per gallon West Coast states except for California.

Only New England truckers saw prices that did not go up, according to ProMiles. There is was unchanged.

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

• U.S. – $2.946, up 4.5 cents
• East Coast – $3.037, up 4.3 cents
• New England – $3.116, unchanged from a week before
• Central Atlantic – $3.257, up 2 cents
• Lower Atlantic – $2.918, up 5.2 cents
• Midwest – $2.913, up 4.1 cents
• Gulf Coast – $2.815, up 4.4 cents
• Rocky Mountain – $2.985, up 8 cents
• West Coast – $3.303, up 6.6 cents
• West Coast less California – $3.067, up 7.9 cents
• California – $3.64, up 4.3 cents

AAA reports a national average price per gallon for diesel fuel at $2.941 for Monday, March 26, 1.3 cents higher than a week before, $2.928 per gallon.

A month ago AAA reported $2.955 per gallon and a year ago $2.506 per gallon.

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