U.S. average diesel fuel price surges by a penny

The average price for a gallon of diesel fuel across the U.S. has gone up a penny form last week, according to the weekly report issued for Monday, July 8, by the Energy Information Administration.

It is a mixed bag of increasing and decreasing prices by region. In the Midwest, the EIA reports the average price rose 4.4 cents, the largest increase in the country. The largest decrease was in the Rocky Mountain region, a drop of 1.8 cents.

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

• U.S. – $3.055, up 1.3 cents.
  
• East Coast – $3.081, up one-tenth of a cent.
  
• New England – $3.134, down one-tenth of a cent.
  
• Central Atlantic – $3.275, up a half cent.
  
• Lower Atlantic – $2.94, down one-tenth of a cent.
  
• Midwest – $2.968, up 4.4 cents.
  
• Gulf Coast – $2.804, up one-tenth of a cent.
  
• Rocky Mountain – $2.98, down 1.8 cents.
  
• West Coast – $3.624, down two-fifths of a cent.
  
• West Coast without California – $3.208, up three-tenths of a cent.
  
• California – $3.953, down 1 cent.
  

The national average U.S. retail price for diesel fuel on Monday, July 8, increased 1.6 cents per gallon but remained under the $3 benchmark, according to ProMiles.

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.

Increases were reported for all regions except for the New England and Rocky Mountain regions.

As with the DIA data, ProMiles reports the largest increase was in the Midwest region, with prices rising 3.3 cents per gallon but remaining below $3.

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

• U.S. – $2.956, up 1.6 cents.
  
• East Coast – $3.039, up two-fifths of a cent.
  
• New England – $3.079, down nine-tenths of a cent.
  
• Central Atlantic – $3.232, up one-tenth of a cent.
  
• Lower Atlantic – $2.93, up seven-tenths of a cent.
  
• Midwest – $2.909, up 3.3 cents.
  
• Gulf Coast – $2.811, up 1 cent.
  
• Rocky Mountain – $2.966, down 1.6 cents.
  
• West Coast – $3.454, up three-fifths of a cent.
  
• West Coast less California – $3.154, up 1.1 cents.
  
• California – $3.875, up two-fifths of a cent.
  

Click here to view ProMiles fuel data averaged by state.

AAA reported a national average price per gallon for diesel fuel at $3.006 for Monday, July 8.

A week previous, the price was $2.997.

A month previous, AAA reported $3.055 per gallon of diesel fuel, and a year ago $3.055 per gallon.

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