U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Aug 1/13 - 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 29
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         3.931     0.012     0.089
       New England        4.061     0.014     0.130
       Central Atlantic   3.993     0.022     0.085
       Lower Atlantic     3.861     0.004     0.086
II     Midwest            3.886     0.011     0.104
III    Gulf Coast         3.845     0.004     0.149
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.913     0.047     0.184
V      West Coast         4.052     0.011     0.154
        less California   3.970     0.014     0.154
       California         4.122     0.009     0.155
Total  U.S.               3.915     0.012     0.119