Diesel pump prices inched up in most regions of the U.S., albeit not by very much, the week of February 10, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The national average on-highway diesel fuel price was $3.665 this week, up less than a cent from last week and down 44 cents from last year. Across the country, diesel costs tended to shift from less than a cent to 5 cents in total.
For the few regions where diesel costs decreased, diesel prices on the East Coast fell 1 cent to $3.761 per gallon, while prices decreased by less than a cent to $3.393 on the Gulf Coast. Conversely, diesel costs rose along the West Coast, in the Rocky Mountain region, and in the Midwest.
California’s diesel costs increased the least at less than a cent up to $4.796 per gallon, while the Midwest’s jumped 1 cent up to $3.582. The West Coast overall saw its diesel costs increase by almost 2 cents to $4.307, and the West Coast without California’s costs jumped 2 cents to $3.883. Finally, the Rocky Mountain region was the most impacted, with diesel costs increasing by 5 cents to $3.528.
This left the Gulf Coast as the cheapest place for diesel fuel at $3.393, while California is the most expensive at $4.796.
As a comparison, the AAA motor club‘s average diesel price for this week is $3.653 per gallon, about 1 cent cheaper than the EIA’s reckoning. But the motor club did find that diesel prices dropped 0.2 cents compared to last week when prices were $3.655. Current diesel costs are also cheaper than this time last year, which the motor club found to be $3.988 per gallon, or 33 cents more than current prices.
Read more: Gas and diesel prices retain pre-tariff pump prices
Gas prices continue to climb beyond $3/gal.
While diesel prices are relatively flat compared to mid-January, gas prices look they they’re beginning to increase overall. Currently, the national average cost for regular gasoline is $3.128 per gallon, 4 cents higher than last week but 6 cents lower than last year. With the exception of the Gulf Coast, most of the country saw its gas prices rise at a rate of less than a cent to 13 cents.
Gas prices on the Gulf Coast dipped 1 cent to $2.692. On the East Coast, however, gas prices rose 3 cents to $3.050 per gallon, followed by the Rocky Mountain region, which rose 5 cents to $3.020. The West Coast without California’s gas prices jumped 6 cents to $3.634, as did the Midwest’s up to $2.958. Meanwhile, prices rose the most in the West Coast overall and in California. The West Coast overall jumped 10 cents to $4.031, and California’s rose 13 cents to $4.392.
The AAA gas average mirrored the EIA’s shifts, as the motor club’s current price is $3.139 per gallon, 4 cents higher than last week’s $3.098. The gas prices this week are still 5 cents lower than last year's of $3.183 per gallon.
