Diesel Price Posts Fourth Straight Increase to $1.396

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The national average price of diesel fuel rose 0.8 cent to $1.396 a gallon, its fourth straight weekly increase, the U.S. Department of Energy said Monday.

The price has now increased 9.3 cents over the four-week period and is at its highest point since Sept. 24, 2001. At that time, however, it had just posted the first of 13 straight decreases in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

DOE also said the price of gasoline rose 0.1 cent last week to $1.395 per gallon. While the biggest over-the-road trucks use diesel fuel, a portion of smaller commercial trucks run on gasoline.

The West Coast diesel price continued to surge, the DOE reported, as the average price rose 4.2 cents to $1.548. Likewise, the price in its largest state, California, jumped another 1.4 cents to $1.62, its highest since price since the first report after the attacks.

Another significant move in a regional price was the 1.8-cent increase in the Rocky Mountains. Its price is now 1.437 after rising 10.5 cents since Aug. 5.

Each week DOE surveys 350 filling stations to come up with a composite price for diesel fuel across the country.