The price of diesel hit a record
high in New Jersey over the weekend at $5.89 -- up almost 70 cents in the last
week, with AAA currently showing the average price at $5.94.
Diesel is
more important than gasoline for supply chains, since it powers the trucks and
freight trains that deliver goods.
As the price of diesel rises, life
gets harder for trucking companies and railroads, transportation costs
increase, and those costs can get passed on to consumers as higher prices for a
variety of goods.
According
to the
Energy Information Administration, the average retail price for diesel
this week in the U.S. is $5.16 per gallon, up six cents from last week, and up
nine cents from two weeks ago.
California
is leading the nation in gas prices, and diesel is no exception -- $6.43 cents
for a gallon of diesel.