While time sprang forward this past weekend, diesel and gas prices continue to spiral down. The national diesel price average is down 3 cents to $3.549, according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on March 17. Gas prices have also fallen for the fourth consecutive week.
Here are this week’s diesel price highlights from each region of the U.S.:
- West Coast: Surprisingly, the most significant drop in diesel prices occurred off the West Coast this week. Diesel prices fell by a rounded-up 5 cents to $4.203. If you take California out of the equation, prices dropped by 4 cents to $3.715.
- Gulf Coast: The next biggest fall in diesel prices was off the Gulf Coast. Diesel prices dropped by 4 cents to $3.245.
- Rocky Mountain: Diesel prices in the Rockies decreased by 4 cents to $3.376 this week.
- Midwest: The central region of the U.S. experienced a 3-cent decrease in diesel prices this week to $3.463.
- East Coast: The smallest drop in diesel prices occurred off the East Coast this week. Diesel prices fell by 2 cents to $3.679.
AAA Motor Club currently measures the diesel price average at $3.592. This is 4 cents higher than EIA’s current average, 3 cents lower than AAA’s average from last week, and 44 cents lower than AAA’s average from this time last year.
See also: Diesel, gas prices continue to fall nationwide
Gas prices fluctuate but mainly drop
According to EIA, the national gasoline price average fell by 1 cent this week to $3.058. This average is down 40 cents from this time last year.
Here are this week’s gasoline price highlights from each region of the U.S.:
- Gulf Coast: The biggest drop in gas prices was seen this week off the Gulf Coast. Gas is down 5 cents to $2.629.
- West Coast: The West Coast came in second with a drop of 4 cents to $4.061. Without California, the rest of the Coast experienced a drop of 3 cents to $3.655.
- Midwest: The Midwest barely scraped by with a drop from 0.5 cents to $2.894 this week.
- East Coast: Gas prices on the East Coast increased slightly this week by 0.4 cents to $2.949.
- Rocky Mountain: This week, the Rockies experienced a 4-cent increase in gas prices to $2.998.
According to AAA, the current gasoline price average is $3.078. This is 2 cents higher than EIA’s current average, 0.2 cents higher than AAA’s average from last week, and 38 cents lower than AAA’s average from this time last year.
AAA reports in a press release that as spring travel heats up, spring break travelers could experience gas prices under $3 in 31 states.
