Diesel jumps 4.3 cents, gasoline up 7.9

The cost to fuel a truck made its biggest jump in weeks in the latest report, though the price at the pump for gasoline and diesel fuel is significantly lower than last year. The Dept. of Energy said diesel rose 4.3 cents to $1.216 while gasoline jumped 7.9 cents to $1.223. However, diesel is down 19 cents from a year ago, and gasoline is down 18.9 cents. According to the DOE, commercial petroleum inventories have fallen the past three weeks. That and fears that the U.S.-led war or terrorism will expand into Iraq and possibly disrupt supplies have been seen as the reasons for rising prices. Diesel on the West Coast rose 7 cents to $1.327 and in California it was up 6.7 cents to $1.338. The Gulf Coast saw a 9.6 cent rise is gasoline price, followed by the West Coast, which had a 9.5 cent increase.