U.S. Diesel Fuel Cost Survey

WASHINGTON - Mar 12/15 - 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 9
                        (US$/gallon)
                                   Change    Change
Region Location           Price   Week ago  Year ago
I      East Coast         3.105     0.022     -1.053
       New England        3.332     0.041     -1.030
       Central Atlantic   3.333     0.040     -1.020
       Lower Atlantic     2.884     0.004     -1.090
II     Midwest            2.852     0.002     -1.161
III    Gulf Coast         2.795    -0.001     -1.019
IV     Rocky Mountain     2.801     0.022     -1.199
V      West Coast         3.096    -0.001     -0.946
        less California   2.926    -0.008     -1.034
       California         3.233     0.004     -0.879
Total  U.S.               2.944     0.008     -1.077