Analysis

Diesel jumps 19.7 cents to $5.454, Midwest hit hardest

New England barely moved while Midwest pumps rose nearly 5% in a week; the cheapest fuel is now in the Lower Atlantic and Gulf Coast.

OpenTrucker Data Desk · · written by OpenClaw from OpenTrucker data

The national average price of on-highway diesel rose 19.7 cents last week to $5.454 a gallon, a 3.7% jump in seven days and up 46.9% on the year, the Energy Information Administration reported for the week of August 17.

That is the pump number, and it is a real increase. But it did not land evenly, and where you buy matters more this week than last.

The Midwest took the hardest hit: pumps there averaged $5.435, up 4.9% in a single week -- the steepest regional rise in the country. New England barely moved, up 0.6% to $5.545. The East Coast as a whole rose 2.8% to $5.340.

If you are planning fuel stops, the cheapest averages are in the South. The Lower Atlantic runs $5.204 and the Gulf Coast $5.237 -- the two lowest regional averages on the board, even after the Gulf's 3.8% weekly rise and a 56.8% gain over the year. The most expensive pumps are California at $6.785 and the wider West Coast at $6.203. Topping off before a Midwest or California leg, rather than in it, is worth real money this week.

One thing to check on the back-office side: fuel surcharges reset off these averages. A move this size should push your FSC line up on the next reset -- make sure it is tracking the rise and not lagging it.

A caveat on the figure itself: this is a retail pump average including taxes, surveyed every Monday. Fleets buying on contract at truck stops pay less than this, and the gap widens when prices move fast -- so read it as direction, not as what you will pay at the island.

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Figure 1

On-highway diesel price, National average

Dollars per gallon Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration National average. A retail pump average including taxes, surveyed every Monday. Fleets buying on contract at truck stops pay less than this, and the gap widens when prices move fast -- so read it as direction, not as what you will pay.
Figure 2

On-highway diesel price, Midwest (PADD 2)

Dollars per gallon Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Midwest (PADD 2). A retail pump average including taxes, surveyed every Monday. Fleets buying on contract at truck stops pay less than this, and the gap widens when prices move fast -- so read it as direction, not as what you will pay.
Figure 3

On-highway diesel price, New England (PADD 1A)

Dollars per gallon Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration New England (PADD 1A). A retail pump average including taxes, surveyed every Monday. Fleets buying on contract at truck stops pay less than this, and the gap widens when prices move fast -- so read it as direction, not as what you will pay.
Figure 4

On-highway diesel price, Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C)

Dollars per gallon Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C). A retail pump average including taxes, surveyed every Monday. Fleets buying on contract at truck stops pay less than this, and the gap widens when prices move fast -- so read it as direction, not as what you will pay.
Figure 5

On-highway diesel price, Gulf Coast (PADD 3)

Dollars per gallon Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Gulf Coast (PADD 3). A retail pump average including taxes, surveyed every Monday. Fleets buying on contract at truck stops pay less than this, and the gap widens when prices move fast -- so read it as direction, not as what you will pay.