U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Feb 13/14 - 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 10
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.116     0.046    -0.036
       New England        4.369     0.064     0.103
       Central Atlantic   4.363     0.082     0.147
       Lower Atlantic     3.884     0.016    -0.199
II     Midwest            3.969     0.027    -0.111
III    Gulf Coast         3.788     0.013    -0.209
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.868     0.008    -0.096
V      West Coast         3.998     0.004    -0.267
        less California   3.901    -0.001    -0.286
       California         4.080     0.008    -0.251
Total  U.S.               3.977     0.026    -0.127