U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Jul 18/13 - 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 July 15
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         3.876     0.045     0.135
       New England        4.005     0.040     0.157
       Central Atlantic   3.939     0.044     0.101
       Lower Atlantic     3.804     0.047     0.156
II     Midwest            3.852     0.031     0.193
III    Gulf Coast         3.798     0.045     0.181
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.829     0.018     0.157
V      West Coast         3.997     0.046     0.194
         less California  3.917     0.053     0.212
       California         4.065     0.039     0.179
Total  U.S.               3.867     0.039     0.172