U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Mar 7/13 - 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 March 4
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.167    -0.034     0.000
       New England        4.298    -0.046     0.045
       Central Atlantic   4.235    -0.027    -0.008
       Lower Atlantic     4.092    -0.037    -0.002
II     Midwest            4.085    -0.036     0.111
III    Gulf Coast         4.065    -0.024     0.045
IV     Rocky Mountain     4.047    -0.010     0.061
V      West Coast         4.280    -0.019    -0.092
        less California   4.207    -0.014    -0.068
       California         4.341    -0.024    -0.113
Total  U.S.               4.130    -0.029     0.036