Nationally, diesel prices don’t move much, but the Rockies, West Coast see increases

One diesel fuel price index says the national average per-gallon cost went up slightly on Monday compared to a week before while another says the national average dipped a few tenths of a cent.

For the fourth week in a row, the average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel went up, according to the Energy Information Administration, although this week’s increase is tiny.

The average price for a gallon of diesel on Monday, April 9, was $3.043 per gallon. That is one-tenth of a cent higher than a week earlier.

Both indexes show minimal changes in prices east of the Rockies and higher prices in the Rockies and on the West Coast.

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

• U.S. – $3.043, up one-tenth of a cent
• East Coast – $3.066, unchanged
• New England – $3.116, down one-tenth of a cent
• Central Atlantic – $3.232, down one-tenth of a cent
• Lower Atlantic – $2.939, up one-tenth of a cent
• Midwest – $2.957, down a half cent
• Gulf Coast – $2.844, down seven-tenths of a cent
• Rocky Mountain – $3.086, up 4.2 cents
• West Coast – $3.50, up 1.3 cents
• West Coast less California – $3.2262, up 2.4 cents
• California – $3.717, up 3 cents.

ProMiles reports that the average U.S. price for a gallon of diesel going down less than half a cent.

On Monday, the average price across the U.S. was $2.982 per gallon, according to ProMiles. A week before it was $2.986 and on April 2 it was $2.946.

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.

East of the Rockies, prices varied less than a cent per gallon, with diesel prices in most regions nudging lower. In Rocky Mountain and West Coast states, average diesel prices all increased. Rocky Mountain states saw the average price for a gallon of diesel go up 4.3 cents.

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

• U.S. – $2.982, down four-tenths of a cent
• East Coast – $3.061, down eight-tenths of a cent
• New England – $3.123, down seven-tenths of a cent
• Central Atlantic – $3.269, up four-tenths of a cent
• Lower Atlantic – $2.952, down seven-tenths of a cent
• Midwest – $2.936, down 1.1 cents
• Gulf Coast – $2.845, down six-tenths of a cent
• Rocky Mountain – $3.098, up 4.3 cents
• West Coast – $3.385, up three-tenths of a cent
• West Coast less California – $3.166, up 1.8 cents
• California – $3.72, 1.4 cents

AAA reports a national average price per gallon for diesel fuel at $2.974 for Monday, April 9, about a half cent higher than a week before, $2.968 per gallon.

A month ago, AAA reported $2.94 per gallon and a year ago $2.521 per gallon.

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