Diesel fuel prices will average $3.90 a gallon this year, the Department of Energy said, lowering a previous forecast.
DOE also reduced its projected prices of gasoline and oil, the department said Tuesday in its monthly short-term energy outlook.
The diesel fuel price forecast was 16 cents below last month’s outlook. DOE said trucking’s main fuel will average $3.87 in 2013. Diesel averaged $3.84 last year. If we can only take the peaks and valleys out of diesel fuel and gas prices.
Gas prices will average $3.56 a gallon this year, DOE said. Gas, which averaged $3.53 a gallon last year, will average $3.51 per gallon in 2013.
Gas prices peaked at $3.90 in April and will average $3.60 during the summer driving season from April through September, 19 cents lower than in last month’s forecast.
The monthly outlook often lags DOE’s weekly price surveys. On Monday, it reported diesel fell for a ninth straight week to $3.781 a gallon, while gasoline fell for a 10th week, to $3.572.
Crude oil, the main factor in retail end-fuel prices, will average $97 a barrel this year — $7 below last month’s forecast but $2 over last year’s average.
With fuel prices only time will tell. Most trucking or private fleets realize that the best way to stay ahead of diesel fuel costs is to have a someone watching their fueling costs. The best way seems to be a solid fuel management program. Several companies out there offer this type of service but not all are the same. Listen to what people have to say before you pick one.
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