Average Price of Diesel Falls 2.3 Cents to $1.711

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he U.S. average retail price of diesel fuel fell 2.3 per gallon cents to $1.711 per gallon, the Department of Energy reported Monday.

It was the fourth straight drop in the price of commercial trucking's main fuel, and the largest one-week drop since Sept. 22, according to DOE figures. Diesel is now at its lowest point since $1.679 on April 12.

Over the past four weeks, diesel has dropped 5.2 cents, but it is 27.9 cents higher than a year earlier, DOE said. Trucking burns an estimated 576 million gallons of diesel each week.

DOE also said Monday the average U.S. retail price for regular gasoline fell 4.9 cents to $1.985 a gallon, the third decline since a record $2.064 three weeks ago.

Prices have risen 50.7 cents so far this year.

DOE's report found the average price of diesel dropped at least 0.6 cent throughout the entire country, with California reporting the largest decrease, 7 cents, to $2.051.

The Gulf Coast has the cheapest average price of diesel at $1.635.

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

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