Except for areas along the East Coast, nationwide diesel prices dropped again this week, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Overall, the U.S. on-highway diesel pump price average reached $3.992 per gallon on April 22, down 2 cents from last week and 8 cents less than this time last year.
Most U.S. regions followed suit, save for the New England and the Mid-Atlantic subregions, which both saw prices increase 1 cent to $4.326 and $4.255 per gallon, respectively. While diesel prices did not rise along the West Coast, California’s diesel prices only fell by 1 cent to $5.244, and the Gulf Coast’s diesel costs also only fell by less than a cent to $3.707 per gallon. Similarly, East Coast prices overall fell 2 cents to $4.047.
However, in other locales, the Rocky Mountain region saw its diesel prices drop by 7 cents to $3.883 per gallon, and the West Coast without California dropped 6 cents to $4.154. The West Coast, in total, also saw its diesel prices drop 4 cents to $4.661 per gallon.
Considering these prices, the Gulf Coast is still the cheapest place to purchase diesel fuel, at $3.707 per gallon, while California is the most expensive, at $5.244.
See also: After spike, diesel drops, gas prices up
In comparison, the AAA motor club found its diesel price average at $4.032, 4 cents more than the EIA’s reckoning. This price is also less than a cent cheaper than last week’s average of $4.038 and 15 cents cheaper than this time last year.
Gas pump prices spike along the East Coast
The national U.S. average for regular gasoline prices rose again this week, as it has largely done since mid-January. The nationwide average is $3.668 per gallon, up 4 cents from last week and 1 cent from last year. However, not every region saw a price increase.
In particular, gas prices dropped 3 cents in California to $5.237 per gallon and by less than a cent on the West Coast without California to $4.389. Overall, gas prices on the West Coast dropped 2 cents to $4.832 per gallon. The Midwest region also saw a price decrease of less than a cent to $3.463.
On the other hand, as with diesel prices, gas prices increased the most along the East Coast. East Coast gas prices rose 8 cents to $3.540 per gallon, but gas prices in the New England subregion increased 18 cents to $3.588. Gas prices in the Central Atlantic subregion rose 17 cents to $3.705, and the Lower Atlantic climbed 14 cents to $3.424.
The Gulf Coast is still the cheapest place for gas at $3.232 per gallon, while California is the most expensive at $5.237.
The motor club recorded the current gas average at $3.675, 4 cents higher than last week and roughly the same as last year’s gas average of $3.674. According to the organization, slower domestic gas demand and decreasing oil prices helped raise the average national gas cost.
“The situation overseas with war in both the Middle East and Ukraine has the oil market on edge,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “But this is also the time of year we may see a bit of a lull in gasoline demand between the end of spring breaks and ahead of Memorial Day. So the national average for gas may waffle a bit with small increases, some flat days, and even some price dips.”
