Truckers can breathe easier -- but just a little bit easier, that is -- when they pull into the fuel island these days.
AAA says diesel prices as well as what people pay for gasoline have decreased. This week marks the first time since July that the national average price for gasoline has dipped below $4 per gallon.
According to AAA, the national average for on-highway diesel is $6.09, down .16 cents from a week ago, and down considerably from the record high of $6.52 on Sept. 22.
Price drops for diesel and gasoline come as the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil is $88.12 per barrel.
The drop in diesel prices comes as President Donald Trump's diesel deal with Russia appears to have hit a snag. A tanker loaded with 300,000 barrels of Russian diesel ceased its voyage to the U.S. Seems the vessel could not get get clearance to enter an East Coast port to unload, and now is reportedly sailing a zig-zag course about 400 miles off the U.S. coast.
In early October, Trump announced a deal with Russia to purchase more than 300,000 metric tons of diesel fuel to the US and, with another 500,000 tons to follow in November and 1 million metric tons thereafter.
That deal has been derided by supporters of Ukraine, and is said to be a drop in the bucket for what is needed to make diesel prices subside. Trump has also eased restrictions on red-dyed diesel meant for off-road use. However, some states have maintained their bans on red-dyed diesel for highway use, and some industry experts suggest the dyed fuel could be hazardous to truck engines.
Trump has been critical of Ukraine, which continues its drone attacks on Russian refineries. It's estimated that Ukraine has destrroyed some 30% of Russian's refining capacity.
