U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Nov 1/07 - SNS -- The weekly diesel price provides a proxy for trends in U.S. truck rates, according to the USDA.

Diesel fuel is a significant expense for agriculture commodity movements by truck, accounting for 37% of the estimated variable cost.

    Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices to October 29
                      (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         3.148     0.070     0.618
       New England        3.250     0.068     0.621
       Central Atlantic   3.251     0.065     0.605
       Lower Atlantic     3.095     0.073     0.623
II     Midwest            3.122     0.055     0.621
III    Gulf Coast         3.062     0.068     0.600
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.281     0.052     0.704
V      West Coast         3.394     0.071     0.792
       California         3.406     0.068     0.761
Total  U.S.               3.157     0.063     0.640