U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - May 16/13 - 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 May 13
                        (US$/gallon)
             Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         3.865     0.002     -0.189
       New England        3.995     0.009     -0.197
       Central Atlantic   3.910    -0.001     -0.225
       Lower Atlantic     3.807     0.003     -0.162
II     Midwest            3.909     0.041      0.012
III    Gulf Coast         3.739     0.004     -0.176
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.822     0.018     -0.182
V      West Coast         3.969     0.046     -0.308
        less California   3.883     0.053     -0.309
       California         4.042     0.041     -0.307
Total  U.S.               3.866     0.021     -0.139
Diesel fuel prices include all taxes. Prices represent an average of all types of diesel fuel.