Weekly Diesel Fuel Prices Wane Slightly

Diesel fuel prices crept downward this week, shedding .002 cents to $3.613 per gallon, federal data show.

This slight decrease from last week’s national per-gallon average — $3.615 — is still a notable jump from this time last year, when the national average was only $2.64 per gallon, according to the Energy Information Association (EIA) weekly average posted Jan. 3.

Regionally, variations in weekly prices also saw little movement. The Rocky Mountain region saw the most notable price swing of the week, down .017 cents to $3.687 per gallon, while California experienced the second most significant week-over-week change: a dip of .013 cents to $4.758 per gallon. The other eight regions saw price fluctuations this week of .002 cents or less, EIA data show.

An estimated three-quarters of commercial trucks in use run on diesel fuel.

Wholesale spot petroleum prices were unchanged from last week’s $1.12 per gallon recorded in Mont Belvieu, Texas, the EIA reported.