Federal report shows diesel prices deflating a bit

The U.S. average diesel price per gallon dropped a fraction of a cent from one week ago to $2.435 per gallon, according to a weekly federal report dated Monday, Sept. 7. A report from ProMiles.com tells a little different story.

While last week the Energy Information Administration recorded increases for all regions, this week it is all small decreases in the regional diesel price averages, except for California. There, the average price is unchanged from a week ago.

One year ago the average U.S. price was 53.6 cents per gallon higher, according to the EIA.

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

• U.S. – $2.435, down three-fifths of a cent.
• East Coast – $2.511, down four-fifths of a cent.
• New England – $2.612, down 1 cent.
• Central Atlantic – $2.689, down a half cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.37, down nine-tenths of a cent
• Midwest – $2.321, down four-fifths of a cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.184, down two-fifths of a cent.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.378, down seven-tenths of a cent.
• West Coast – $2.964, down four-fifths of a cent.
• West Coast without California – $2.584, down 1.9 cents.
• California – $3.276, no change.

ProMiles.com reports the average U.S. retail price per gallon for diesel increased 1.7 cents a week before, according to a Monday, Sept. 8, report.

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.

Last week, ProMiles reported the average diesel for the Gulf Coast dropped 3.7 cents from the week before. This week, the rise in the average more than made up for that drop with an increase of 5.3 cents.

The U.S. average diesel price is 50.8 cents lower than one year ago, ProMiles.com reports.

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

• U.S. – $2.361, up 1.7 cents.
• East Coast – $2.477, down three-tenths of a cent.
• New England – $2.614, up one-fifth of a cent.
• Central Atlantic – $2.666, down seven-tenths of a cent.
• Lower Atlantic – $2.356, down three-tenths of a cent.
• Midwest – $2.275, up two-fifths of a cent.
• Gulf Coast – $2.228, up 5.3 cents.
• Rocky Mountain – $2.357, up 2.7 cents.
• West Coast – $2.807, up a 1.1 cents.
• West Coast without California – $2.494, up one-tenth of a cent.
• California – $3.241, up 1 cent.

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported the retail average U.S. price per gallon of diesel at $2.42 for Tuesday, Sept. 8.

A week previous the average retail U.S. price for a gallon of diesel was $2.427 per gallon.

A month previous, AAA reported $2.429 per gallon of diesel, and a year ago $2.926 per gallon.

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

Last week’s fuel report is here.