U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - May 15/14 - 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 May 12
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         4.041    -0.014     0.176
       New England        4.157    -0.024     0.162
       Central Atlantic   4.156    -0.020     0.246
       Lower Atlantic     3.927    -0.013     0.120
II     Midwest            3.921    -0.014     0.012
III    Gulf Coast         3.797    -0.016     0.058
IV     Rocky Mountain     3.970    -0.008     0.148
V      West Coast         4.036    -0.010     0.067
        less California   3.928    -0.016     0.045
       California         4.126    -0.006     0.084
Total  U.S.               3.948    -0.016     0.082

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1Diesel fuel prices include all taxes. Prices represent an average of