U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Mar 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 March 10
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.158     0.003     0.038
       New England        4.362    -0.027     0.119
       Central Atlantic   4.353    -0.001     0.182
       Lower Atlantic     3.974     0.012    -0.084
II     Midwest            4.013    -0.006    -0.030
III    Gulf Coast         3.814     0.021    -0.222
IV     Rocky Mountain     4.000     0.017    -0.010
V      West Coast         4.042     0.004    -0.185
         less California  3.960     0.017    -0.205
       California         4.112    -0.007    -0.168
Total  U.S.               4.021     0.005    -0.067