Diesel prices lower for second straight week

For the second consecutive week, the Energy Information Administration’s report showed lower diesel costs.

The EIA report released on Monday, Aug. 16, said the national average is now $3.356, down from $3.364 last week. This price is 92.9 cents higher than one year ago.

Of the 10 reporting regions, six reported a lower average price this week led by a 1.8-cent decrease in the Lower Atlantic and Rocky Mountain regions. Prices also fell by at least 1 cent in the East Coast, Midwest and Gulf Coast.

California has the highest increase (3.1 cents) and also features the highest price per gallon ($4.319).

Average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel on Aug. 16 as reported by the EIA:

• U.S. – $3.356, down four-fifths of a cent.
• East Coast – $3.316, down 1.2 cents.
• New England – $3.271, up nine-tenths of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.485, down four-fifths of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $3.212, down 1.8 cents.
• Midwest – $3.259, down 1.2 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $3.073, down 1 cent.
• Rocky Mountain – $3.657, down 1.8 cents.
• West Coast – $4.029, up 2 cents.
• West Coast without California – $3.682, up seven-tenths of a cent.
• California – $4.319, up 3.1 cents.

ProMiles.com reports the average U.S. retail price per gallon for diesel decreased by nine-tenths of a cent to $3.292, according to an Aug. 16 report.

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.

A majority of the regions now how lower costs with the largest drops in the Midwest, Lower Atlantic and Gulf Coast regions. The East Coast, Central Atlantic and Rocky Mountain regions also reported lower prices than a week ago.

The largest increase came in California, where prices are 1.7 cents more than last week.

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

• U.S. – $3.292, down nine-tenths of a cent.
• East Coast – $3.284, down nine-tenths of a cent.
• New England – $3.25, up three-tenths of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $3.439, down two-fifths of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $3.18, down 1.2 cents.
• Midwest – $3.225, down 1.4 cents.
• Gulf Coast – $3.06, down 1.2 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $3.715, down three-tenths of a cent.
• West Coast – $3.855, up three-fifths of a cent.
• West Coast without California – $3.593, up two-fifths of a cent.
• California – $4.261, up 1.7 cents.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported the retail average U.S. price per gallon of diesel at $3.297 for Aug. 16.

A week previous the average retail U.S. price for a gallon of diesel was $3.299 per gallon.

A month previous, AAA reported $3.27 per gallon of diesel, and a year ago $2.426 per gallon.

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

Last week’s fuel report is here.