Price of diesel drops again, could be start of summer drop off

user-gravatar Headshot
Screenshot 2014-05-12 at 5.33.55 PM

The national average price for a gallon of on-highway diesel fell again in the week ended May 12, dropping 1.6 cents to $3.948, according to the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration.

This is the second week in a row the price has fallen, following two weeks of price jumps. The decreases could be the beginning of the DOE-predicted summer decline, when the national average price is expected to slide to a $3.87 summer average.

The price of diesel is still up 8.2 cents from the same week a year ago, according to the EIA, and some of the yearly regional differences are even higher. The Central Atlantic region’s price is 24.6 cents higher than the same week in 2013, and the New England region is 16.2 cents higher. The Rocky Mountain region is 14.8 cents higher.

ProMiles’ Fuel Surcharge Index also eported this week a 1.6-cent drop, bringing its reported national average to $3.885 a gallon, up 8.7 cents from the same week last year.

Per the EIA, prices also fell iin all regions, led by a 2.4-cent drop in the New England region, followed by a 2-cent drop in the Central Atlantic region and 1.6-cent drops in both the West Coast less California and Gulf Coast regions.

The New England region once again has the country’s most expensive diesel, $4.181 a gallon, followed by the Central Atlantic’s $4.156 and California’s $4.126.

The Gulf Coast region again had the U.S.’ cheapest diesel, $3.979, followed by the Lower Atlantic’s $3.927 and the West Coast less California’s $3.928.

The Business Manual for Owner-Operators
Overdrive editors and ATBS present the industry’s best manual for prospective and committed owner-operators. You’ll find exceptional depth on many issues in the 2022 edition of Partners in Business.
Download
Partners in Business Issue Cover