U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Mar 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 March 3
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.155     0.007    -0.012
       New England        4.389     0.003     0.091
       Central Atlantic   4.354    -0.004     0.119
       Lower Atlantic     3.962     0.015    -0.130
II     Midwest            4.019    -0.006    -0.066
III    Gulf Coast         3.793    -0.013    -0.272
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.983     0.033    -0.064
V      West Coast         4.038     0.003    -0.242
        less California   3.943    -0.005    -0.264
       California         4.119     0.010    -0.222
Total  U.S.               4.016    -0.001    -0.114