U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Feb 6/14 - 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 February 3
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.070     0.074    -0.018
       New England        4.305     0.134     0.068
       Central Atlantic   4.281     0.137     0.116
       Lower Atlantic     3.868     0.016    -0.133
II     Midwest            3.942     0.068    -0.036
III    Gulf Coast         3.775     0.003    -0.166
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.860    -0.003     0.016
V      West Coast         3.994     0.015    -0.172
        less California   3.902     0.027    -0.174
       California         4.072     0.004    -0.170
Total  U.S.               3.951     0.047    -0.071