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Questions About Diesel...
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Question:
How do I calculate/find diesel fuel surcharges?
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The Energy Information Administration does not calculate, assess, or regulate diesel fuel surcharges. |
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EIA cannot tell you how to calculate a fuel surcharge. Fuel surcharges are negotiated privately by the shipper and the trucking company. |
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Every company has its own method for calculating surcharges. Many major carriers have information on how they calculate their surcharges on their web sites. EIA cannot and does not endorse a particular method, but you can perform an Internet search for “fuel surcharge trucking” for more information. |
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EIA collects and disseminates weekly retail diesel fuel price data. Many shippers and truckers use that weekly retail price information in their fuel pricing formulas. |
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| Weekly Retail On-Highway Diesel Prices (Monday’s prices as of 8:00 a.m. EST) |
| Last Reviewed: May 22, 2009 |
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Question:
Why has diesel fuel been more expensive than gasoline in the past few years?
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On-highway diesel fuel prices have been higher than regular gasoline prices almost continuously since September 2004, a break from the historical pattern of diesel fuel prices usually being lower than gasoline prices except in cold winters when demand for heating oil pushed diesel fuel prices higher. The main reasons why diesel fuel prices have been higher than gasoline prices in the past few years are:
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High worldwide demand for diesel fuel and other distillate fuel oils, especially in Europe, China, India, and the United States, and a tight global refining capacity available to meet demand during the period of high economic growth from 2002 to mid-2008. |
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The transition to less polluting, lower-sulfur diesel fuels in the United States affected diesel fuel production and distribution costs. |
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The Federal excise tax for on-highway diesel fuel is 6 cents per gallon higher (at 24.4 cents/gallon) than gasoline tax. |
This Week In Petroleum discusses petroleum markets. The May 20th, 2009 and March 26th, 2008 editions discuss this FAQ topic in more detail.
Diesel Fuel Prices: What Consumers Should Know
For EIA's latest diesel fuel price forecast, see EIA's Short-Term Energy Outlook |
| Last updated: May 21, 2009 |
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Question:
Where can I find prices for “off-road” diesel fuel?
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EIA does not publish prices specifically for “off-road,” “non-road,” or “off-highway” diesel fuel.
Off-road diesel fuel is sold for use in vehicles and equipment that are not usually operated on public roadways, such as those used on farms and railways, in construction, and for electric power generation. It is not subject to the State and Federal excise taxes that are applied to retail sales of diesel fuel sold for use in vehicles generally operating on public roadways. It is dyed red (as is heating oil) to distinguish it from on-highway diesel fuel.
EIA does publish various diesel fuel prices that can be used to estimate off-road diesel fuel prices. One approach is to use average monthly diesel fuel prices, excluding taxes and correlate those prices with the type of sale and the diesel fuel sulfur-content standards (on the Clean Diesel Fuel Alliance website) that are phasing in over time. A more timely (but less accurate) estimate would be to use the weekly retail on-highway diesel fuel prices and subtract Federal and State excise taxes.
Most on-highway diesel fuel now being sold at retail is ultra-low sulfur diesel. |
Diesel Fuel Prices: What Consumers Should Know |
| Last Updated: March 16, 2009 |
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Question:
What are projected diesel prices through 2009?
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