Diesel prices nationally are continuing to rise, according to a new report issued by the federal Energy Information Administration.
That report indicates that the Producer Price Index shows diesel prices in September climbing to $4.99 per gallon.
But the real change comes when compared with where things were exactly a year ago, when the price stood at $1.66 per gallon.
The price increase was seen across the country, with the East reporting prices just below $4.80 per gallon, and the Middle West just over that figure.
The highest prices were recorded in the Rocky Mountain states at slightly less than $4.90 per gallon, and the West coast, coming in at $5.50 per gallon.
The price of diesel has been steadily increasing throughout this year but took its most significant jump in March when it went from $4.00 per gallon to $5.10 and has generally stayed near the $5 range ever since.
The price rise is accompanied by a decline in product, with diesel stockpiles now at their lowest point in nearly 15 years.
Notes the publication The Drive: “Part of the reason for the diesel supply shortage is maintenance season, but the bigger issue is Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has hurt global fuel supplies.”
According to a recent survey issued by the American Transportation Research Institute, fuel prices are now the number one truck driver concern, supplanting earlier worries centering on a shortage of drivers.
By Garry Boulard
