The national average price of a gallon of diesel hit a record high on Friday, exceeding $6 for the first time as tensions in the Middle East continued to disrupt oil shipments.
Diesel powers much of the country’s trucking, freight, farming, and delivery networks, with higher fuel prices raising the cost of transporting everyday goods.
The national average price of diesel hit $6.06 a gallon on Sept. 11, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), up from $5.98 the previous day and $5.85 a week earlier.
While the $6 level is largely a psychological milestone, it signals mounting pressure on businesses and consumers alike.
“Not every day are new all-time records set, and this will be a particularly painful one for the economy that may not even be immediately felt, but record diesel prices will impact every cargo, shipment, every delivery Americans are taking, and are likely to reignite inflation up and down the supply chain,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a statement….