Diesel fuel prices fell for a second straight week, declining 3.3 cents to $3.931 a gallon, while gasoline fell for a third week. The diesel fuel price downturn followed last week’s 4.6-cent drop that pulled trucking’s main fleet fuel below $4 a gallon after being above that level for one week. Gasoline’s national average price fell 1.7 cents to $3.29 a gallon, its third straight drop and the sixth decline in seven weeks.

Diesel fuel prices have fallen in three of the past five weeks. Monday, December 5th’s prices left diesel’s national average price 73.4 cents over the same week last year, while gasoline is now 33.2 cents higher than a year ago.

As we head into what is suppose to be a cold winter fleet fueling prices will be sure to give each fleet manager a headache or two.  While fuel savings are always on everyone’s mind part of the attack on lower fleet fueling cost is to have fuel management, where diesel fuel prices are being negotiated, fleet fuel audits on all transactions are happening including on diesel fuel cards.

It’s probably not surprising to you that I hear the question, what will diesel fuel prices do on a daily basis. After all, I am the President of a fuel management and fleet fueling consulting group. The goal is
always to provide our clients with the most comprehensive information about diesel fuel prices and what we believe is going to happen.

There is no true science to predicting what diesel fuel prices are going to do. What I like to do is read as much as possible about different views of companies actively in the oil commodity space.

Review inventory levels across the globe, usage reports, global demand and a sense of feeling the market.

If there was any person that truly was able to know the future, they would be picking winning stocks all of the time or buying and selling oil on the market at just the right time.  Or if they were really good, just picking the winning Power Ball numbers every couple of months.

All I can see for 2012 is a rocky road. Diesel fuel prices will break through $4 a gallon and could stay there for the next three or four months. We can expect to see $3.50 a gallon during the year in some areas. It might be one of the craziest years we have seen. Here is why: Presidential election year, Euro mess, stalled U.S. economy or maybe it won’t be in a few hundred days, inventories, worldwide demand, wars & conflicts and don’t forget about civil unrest. Oh yeah, 2012 will be a year for fuel management and diesel fuel prices as hot buttons.

The question most should ask themselves is what can I do for my company, to limit it exposure and control my fuel budget.  Reaching out to our staff and Conor Proud, cproud@sokolisgroup.com, 267-482-6159 could make a big difference for your upcoming year.

Up and down diesel fuel prices go, where they stop nobody knows.

Diesel fuel prices declined for the first time in a month, dipping a half-cent  a gallon, while gas prices fell for a third straight week, the Department of Energy said Monday. Neither fleet fueling product is going to give you much relief off you fuel card.  Maybe it will help a little with you fuel management

Diesel fuel prices had risen 17.1 cents in the previous three weeks, and with Monday’s downturn is now 77.1 cents over the same week last year.  Talking about last year, we should just take that out.  The past isn’t going to provide fuel savings today for you, so let’s try to look ahead on your fleet managment services.

Prior to the past three weeks, the national average price for fleet fueling  fell 14.7 cents in five straight declines. I am sure each fleet manager was happy about those results but 2012 looks to be shaping up as a rough one.  Most companies need to get their fuel management in order and that might mean, new fleet cards, a fleet management system to better track information or an outsourced fuel management service like Sokolis Group.

Gas prices dropped 2.8 cents to $3.424 a gallon, for its third straight downturn and eighth in nine weeks.  We all buy gas on our fuel card so hopefully you are getting a fuel savings rebate in addition to the lower pump prices.

Oil, meanwhile, topped $95 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the highest closing price in more than three months, Bloomberg reported

While diesel fuel prices are always a hot topic, lately they have taken a back page to bigger more heated topics like the newly proposed hours of service rule, and the increasing tolls across the country.  The price of fleet fueling will always be a topic and concern for fleets and fleet manager but both of these topics have received plenty of attention from drivers and trucking industry advocates over the past month.  Changes are inevitable, but with a shaky economy, every move has to be carefully calculated and justified.

 First let’s discuss the Hours of service changes.  The HOS puts limits in place for when and how long commercial motor vehicle drivers may operate.  The regulations are designed to ensure truck drivers receive the necessary rest to perform safe operations.  Under the proposed rule changes, the total on duty time allowed would be reduced down from 14 to 13 hours.  Driving hours could also be reduced down to 10 among other changes.  Those not in favor of the new rule are citing the record low levels of crashes and fatalities involving trucks, and the congestion that will be caused by more drivers and vehicles being on the road at the same time.  Those in favor point to being safer and in the best interest of the drivers.  Less hours working will ultimately mean more alert and safer truck drivers, which in turn will mean safer roads for everyone.

Toll increases being proposed across the country and more specifically the east coast, will directly affect all drivers, not just CDL drivers.  In June the Maryland Transportation Authority board approved toll increases over the next few years for the Chesapeake BayBridge.  The increases aren’t unexpected as somebody has to pay to repair aging tunnels, bridges, and highways.  However, a more controversial toll increase is making big news in New York and New Jersey.  Truck tolls on all bridges and tunnels, connecting New York CitytoNew Jerseyincreased by $2 per axle in September, and $3 per axle for those not using E-ZPass. They are set to increase another $2 per year from December 2012 to 2015.  AAA has filed a law suit claiming it violates federal law, considering the majority of the money generated from the increases will be used for the redevelopment of the World Trade Center, instead of something transportation related.

Yes, diesel fuel prices rise and fall but these types of things increases only go up.  Try to control your fuel managment with a company that can help you with your diesel fuel prices because other driving costs are going up.

Diesel fuel prices national average pump price jumped 8 cents to $3.801 a gallon, turning around five weeks of declines, while gas prices also increased, according to the Department of Energy.

Gas prices gained 5.9 cents to $3.476 a gallon, also its first increase in six weeks, DOE said following its weekly surveys of filling stations.

The diesel fuel prices, the highest in a month, leaves trucking’s main fleet fuel 72.8 cents higher than the same week a year ago.

Gas prices are 64.2 cents over a year ago, according to DOE records.

Last week, diesel fuel was at its lowest level since late February when it averaged $3.716 a gallon. Prior to Monday, it had declined 14.7 cents in the previous five weeks of downturns.  That dip was good news to fuel management solutions and company’s fleet fueling budget.

Oil fell 42 cents Monday to close the trading day at $86.38 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, Bloomberg reported.

Diesel fuel prices fell for a fifth straight week, dropping 2.8 cents to $3.721 a gallon, while gas prices also slipped for a fifth week, the Department of Energy said Tuesday.  This has made fleet fueling prices a lot cheaper than they were at the start of September.

Gas prices falling 1.6 cents to $3.417 a gallon.

Both diesel fuel prices and gas prices are at their lowest levels since late February, when diesel fuel averaged $3.716 and gas was at $3.383, DOE figures showed.

Diesel fuel prices have fallen 14.7 cents in the past five weeks and are now 40.3 cents below the year’s high of $4.124, set in early May for this fleet fuel making fleet manager happy and fuel management budgets a little bit better on the eye.

Despite the recent declines, diesel fuel prices are still 65.5 cents higher than the same week last year. Gas prices are 59.8 cents over a year ago.  Despite the lack of high fuel card amounts being generate recently, fleet fueling prices still have a fair amount to fall before we were at last years level.

The national average for diesel fuel prices fell for a second straight week, declining 2.9 cents to $3.833 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported Monday.

Gas prices also dropped 6 cents to $3.601, its second straight decline, DOE said following its weekly surveys of filling stations. It was the biggest drop in three months.

Diesel fuel price downturn this week— which followed a 0.6-cent dip last week that had been preceded by two increases for fleet fueling.  The drop this week for diesel fuel prices, still left truckers fleet fuel 87.3 cents over the same week last year.

Gas prices decline followed a 1.3-cent drop last week price. Gas is also higher than one year ago at 87.8 cents, according to DOE records.

The $3.81 diesel fuel price four weeks ago was the lowest since February, and diesel fuel price now 29.1 cents below the year’s high of $4.124 set May 2, which was the highest since August 2008.