U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Apr 3/14 - 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 31
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.094    -0.021     0.069
       New England        4.255    -0.024     0.107
       Central Atlantic   4.241    -0.036     0.158
       Lower Atlantic     3.955    -0.008    -0.003
II     Midwest            3.959    -0.016    -0.011
III    Gulf Coast         3.804     0.004    -0.111
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.975    -0.009     0.053
V      West Coast         3.990    -0.019    -0.126
        less California   3.908    -0.017    -0.108
       California         4.060    -0.021    -0.140
Total  U.S.               3.975    -0.013    -0.018