The average price of a gallon of diesel fuel nationwide rose for the first time in six weeks, gaining 3.3 cents to $2.961 a gallon, according to US Department of Energy information.
This increase left trucking’s main fuel 34.5 cents higher than the same week in 2009. Diesel is at its highest level in three weeks, when it registered $2.98 a gallon. The previous week’s average diesel price was the lowest since March 15, capping a five-week decline of almost 20 cents.
All regions reported higher prices except the Rocky Mountain area, where the average price fell 0.9 cent to $2.98. The biggest increase of 5.7 cents to $3.125 was in California, the most expensive region. The cheapest diesel remained along the Gulf Coast at $2.908 after a gain of 3.4 cents.