Diesel fuel prices across the U.S. continue to rise, with the Energy Information Administration reporting a 30.4-cent increase during the most recent week ending March 23.
With the increase, the U.S.’ national average for a gallon of on-highway diesel is now $5.38 -- the highest since the week ending July 18, 2022, when fuel prices were slowly falling after the big run-up at the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war. Average diesel prices topped out at $5.81/gal. that year.
Spot market rates were moving upward last week, too, according to the all-in averages published by Truckstop.com and FTR Transportation Intelligence, marking yet another week of positive response to rising costs.
[Related: Diesel soars past $5/gal. nationally, rates rise to respond]
Fuel prices continued up in all regions across the country. New England saw the biggest week-over-week hike with a 52-cent jump, followed by the West Coast less California, where prices jumped 47 cents.
With last week’s increases, California continues to hold the nation’s most expensive diesel, approaching $7 at $6.87/gal., followed by the West Coast less California at $5.83/gal.
The cheapest diesel is in the Gulf Coast region at $5.13/gal., followed by the Midwest at $5.16/gal.
Prices in other regions, according to EIA:
- New England -- $5.76
- Central Atlantic -- $5.63
- Lower Atlantic -- $5.40
- Rocky Mountain -- $5.17
ProMiles’ diesel averages during the same week jumped by 24 cents to $5.10/gallon nationwide. According to the ProMiles Fuel Surcharge Index, the most expensive diesel can be found in California at $6.58/gallon, the cheapest in the Midwest region at $4.82/gallon.
[Related: How to do more than just live with the horror of high fuel]
