Diesel Forecast to Average $3.76 in 2014
A new forecast is calling for lower fuel prices, due in large part to lower prices for crude oil.

Credit: DOE/EIA
A new forecast is calling for lower fuel prices, due in large part to lower prices for crude oil.

The U.S. Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration’s new Short-Term Energy Outlook projects diesel, which averaged $3.97 per gallon in 2012, will average $3.93 per gallon this year and $3.76 per gallon in 2014. The new forecast is three cents lower for 2013 and six cents lower for next year, compared to the previous prediction.
EIA’s forecast for regular gasoline is an average of $3.34 per gallon in the fourth quarter of 2013. The annual average regular gasoline retail price, which was $3.63 per gallon in 2012, is expected to be $3.52 per gallon in 2013 and $3.40 per gallon in 2014.
Part of this is due to the expectation of lower crude oil prices. Brent crude oil spot prices have fallen from a recent peak of $117 per barrel in early September to $108 per barrel at the end of the month, as some crude oil production restarted in Libya and concerns over the conflict in Syria moderated.
EIA expects the Brent crude oil prices to continue to weaken, averaging $107 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2013 and $102 per barrel in 2014.
Projected West Texas Intermediate crude oil prices should average $101 per barrel during the fourth quarter of 2013 and $96 per barrel during 2014.
Global consumption is expected to grow by 1 million barrels per day in 2013 and by another 1.2 million barrels per day in 2014, with China, the Middle East, Central & South America, accounting for much of the consumption growth.
Despite the increase in demand, this is expected to result in less demand for crude from OPEC member nations while non-OPEC supply growth is North America is expected to increase by 1.4 million barrels per day and 1.1 million barrels per day in 2013 and 2014, respectively, due to continued production increases in U.S. onshore tight oil formations and from Canadian oil sands.
More Drivers

Netradyne Intelligence Uses New AI Agents to Automate Response to In-Cab Camera Data
The company called the next-generation in-cab camera safety platform "a fundamental shift from systems that report on what happened to systems that actively drive what should happen next."
Read More →
Why Truck Detention Keeps Costing Fleets Time and Money
A 2024 ATRI study found detention affects nearly 40% of truckload stops and costs the industry more than $15 billion annually. Despite the toll on drivers, fleets, and supply chains, the problem remains stubbornly persistent.
Read More →
Prime Inc. to Open $7.9M Flagship Used-Truck Dealership
A new driver-focused facility to sell Prime Inc's used trucks and trailers will be the first purpose-built location in the company's history.
Read More →Short Takes: Inside K&B’s Truck Safety Tech
Listen to learn how K&B Transportation uses cellphone-blocking technology, speed management systems, weather geofencing, bridge avoidance tools, and more to improve driver safety.
Read More →
Nussbaum Expands Driver Compensation with Pay Raises, Profit Sharing
Nussbaum Transportation said its latest compensation package could push first-year driver earnings above $90,000 in key hiring markets.
Read More →Listen: Inside Modern Fleet Safety: AI, Cameras & Speed Control at K&B Transportation
Fleet safety is evolving fast—and technology is at the center of it. Learn how a former commercial vehicle enforcement officer turned director of safety at K&B Transportation is embracing real-world safety technology.
Read More →
Maverick Announces 2026 Driver Pay Raises
New raises for Maverick Transportation drivers will take effect on May 31, 2026.
Read More →
Illinois Trucker Indicted for Nearly $22,000 in Ohio Turnpike Toll Evasion
Authorities say an Illinois trucker avoided paying tolls for two years, and now faces felony charges, possible prison time, and forfeiture of his Freightliner tractor.
Read More →
New Trojan Driver Cargo Theft Scam Bypasses Carrier Vetting Systems
Cargo theft rings plant operatives as drivers inside legitimate, fully vetted carriers, then execute coordinated thefts that look like a traditional straight theft from the outside.
Read More →
WIM, Trucker Path Name Top 3 Women-Friendly Truck Stops
ATA’s Women In Motion Council and Trucker Path highlight three truck stops that meet all seven safety-focused criteria and rank highest among female drivers.
Read More →
