If you are an economist with a special knowledge of fuel prices, would you please leave a comment explaining why diesel fuel is more expensive in one town than gasoline, then 100 miles down the road, it’s the other way around with gas more expensive? And within each town, the difference between the two fuels can vary greatly.
What the heck is going on?
Right now, to the Seattle-based RVtravel.com staff, diesel is most often close to a dollar more expensive than gasoline. But it’s not always been that way, and flip-flopped at times.
What’s the deal where you are? Which fuel costs the most?
Price of regular gas dropped below $3/gallon. Best price for diesel is $4.35/gal with the best discount card here in central TN. Best price 2 years ago was $2.10. Three months ago I was forced to pay $6.40/gal in northern NY.
I see many stations about ten cents a gallon less than that in central TN on my Open Roads app (TSD card). One station showing $4.089! 🙂
Diesel is more expensive in central FL. By about $.75-$.80 per gallon
In our travels, diesel is always more expensive than gas. I can only remember one period when that was not true for a very short time.
Diesel costs less to manufacture than gas according to father-in-law who was oil refinery senior level employee.
I assume that world demand for diesel vs supply, is the issue. It might be lower cost to refine, but they can only get so much of any of the fuel types out of a barrel of crude.
Diesel can be $1 higher than gasoline in Minnesota and Michigan. The oil companies have adopted the policy of charging per the BTU capacity of the fuel. Despite the fact that diesel is cheaper to refine. This policy directly gouges the RV diesel users and product transport industry which, unlike the RV diesel users, can simply raise its prices to cover the cost. This will/has no doubt put a damper on larger RV travel plans.
Diesel is more expensive, but we pay less because we use fuel points. Market points for groceries, double and triple points took 60 cents a gallon off my last fill. Add to that money back on my credit card, it adds up. Still, the cost is too high.
I am from Saskatchewan Canada and we are currently paying $1.99 per liter or approx. $9.00 per Gallon Canadian for Diesel. Gas is currently selling for about $1.55 per liter (approx. 23% cheaper than Diesel). When converting Canadian to US$, we are still paying significantly more for fuel here in Canada. Sure hope the price of Diesel goes down as we are still hoping to travel to Arizona this winter with our GMC Diesel truck and 5th wheel trailer.
Diesel is currently $1.50 more per gallon
few weeks ago it was $2 more
Diesel runs farms, trucks and trains so even if you’re not buying diesel directly you’re still paying for it.
In Texas, diesel was as low as 60 cents higher than unleaded 5 months ago. Lately it is 1.00 to 1.30 higher. Coincidentally about the same time I traded in my F150 gas for a F350 diesel to haul our new truck camper. At +60 cents, my cost per mile was about the same because of the added mpg I got driving the F350 in eco mode.
It wasn’t that long ago that diesel was always less, at least in northern NV where we live. What happened?
In the Pacific Northwest diesel runs from $.80 to $.1.20 pet gallon higher and had for several years. As an older person I can tell you that historically diesel has always been less expensive.
Diesel was always lower until we bought our diesel pusher😬🫣🙁
Gas in my area is now down to $2.86 at a number of stations. Diesel is quite a bit higher. Even the Pilot Truck Stop here has gas below $3.00.
Here in northeastern NY and Vermont, diesel has cost about $1/gallon more for a few years.
Diesel fuel at a local Chevron station in Lancaster CA., was $6.44 a gallon and that’s way down from the near $9 not long ago.
A quick, random check of stations using the Gas Buddy Heat Map shows that diesel prices nationwide run between $1- and $1.50 higher per gallon than regular unleaded. It’s a great tool for plotting out road trips and scheduling your fuel stops at the cheapest and easiest to access (for our 35ft Class A and toad) stations.
A year ago, I was paying 20-30¢/gallon less for diesel than for regular gas in Denver. But, for the past 6 months, diesel has been as much as $1.00/gallon more than regular.
To the best of my knowledge, it’s been OVER A DECADE since diesel fuel has been less expensive than gasoline. I’m amazed you bothered to conduct a poll about this.
The best price for regular today is $2.99. Best diesel price is $4.54. Ouch!! Northeast GA.
Stay safe, and raise your right foot!
Joe
As I recall, diesel was less expensive until around 2005 when the government started requiring low sulfur. It also may be taxed more. Diesel did dip below gasoline for a while during the Obama administration.
A barrel of oil can produce more diesel than it can gasoline, but it is demand priced like steak – it doesn’t cost any more to grow the part of the cow that produces steak, but you will pay more for steak because you like it better, and they want to sell all of the cow so less desirable cuts are cheaper and the prices are adjusted so it all sells. I think diesel prices are high now because the demand is relatively inflexible – the trucks and tractors have got to roll, but you can decide not to drive your car.