Average Diesel Price Increases 0.8 Cent to $1.428

The average retail price of diesel fuel rose for the first time in three weeks, jumping 0.8 cent per gallon to $1.428, the U.S. Department of Energy reported Monday.

This was only the second time in the past 17 weeks that the price of commercial trucking's dominant fuel had increased.

Since the beginning of June, the price of diesel has remained between $1.42 and $1.432. Diesel had reached an all-time high of $1.771 on March 10 before beginning a steady decline.

The price of diesel is 13.4 cents above the corresponding week a year ago.

DOE also said the average price for gasoline rose 0.2 cent to $1.489 per gallon.

Gasoline, used by about one-third of trucking, is down 23.9 cents from a record $1.728 set on March 17, according to DOE figures.

DOE said that the price of diesel increased at least 0.3 cent in each of its geographic regions, with the West Coast and Gulf Coast reporting the largest increase of 1.1 cents each.

Only the Central Atlantic -- part of the East Coast grouping of states -- saw a price decline. However, the East Coast's overall average diesel price rose 0.6 cent to $1.433.

Each week, DOE surveys 350 diesel-filling stations to compile a national snapshot price of diesel and gasoline.

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