The average price of a gallon of diesel fuel nationwide climbed for the second straight week, gaining 2.9 cents to $2.861 at the pump, according to US Department of Energy information.
Diesel’s upturn followed the previous week’s 7.6-cent jump that was the first in six weeks. Over the previous five weeks, it had declined 12.3 cents. Trucking’s main fuel has advanced 10.5 cents in two weeks, coming close to erasing that five-week downturn. The most recent increase put diesel 77.4 cents over the same week in 2009.
California, which rose 4.3 cents, is the most expensive area at $3.023 a gallon; the cheapest diesel is along the Gulf Coast at $2.819.