Readers' comments:
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MG :   The simple fact is diesel should cost half of what regular gas costs at the pump, been that way for a long time, the reality and simple reasons for the increase are the road tax, the wars in the middle east and, the biggest one, greed. Kill the war, kill the road tax, kill greed and you'll be back to the lower price of diesel. It might not ever go back to half the price of regular unleaded, but at least a dollar or more cheaper.

Connie :   I think the real reason that diesel is cheaper than gas in Europe is because taxes are much higher on gas because it's environmentally inferior to diesel. The same will happen here eventually. Meanwhile us motorhome owners have to suffer.

Bob Harper :   There's no reason for diesel costing more. Just the pricing structure of the oil companies and the state taxes.

Dieselman :   I was in the military and got stationed in the republic of Panama between 1983 and 1988. I brought with me a diesel 1980 Chevy station wagon. I had to buy the diesel outside the base because the base did not have diesel. I was paying $1.03 per gallon for diesel and the regular gasoline was about $3.50. This is the ration that we should be seeing in this country. The gas prices were regulated by the governemnt there. I have a friend that came from Cuba and he tells me that there the ration of diesel to gas is like a 4 to 1 ratio. In this country we have to pay more for diesel because the price is controlled by a greedy capitalistic system.

j.n :   18Rg8Rz, how can you get 5 barrels of gasoline and 4 barrels of diesel from one barrel of oil? The last numbers that I saw was that the refineries got eleven gallons of gasoline from a forty two gallon barrel of oil.

Paul K :   In India and China they're building more cars every year and 35% of these have diesel engines and it's expected to top 50% by 2010. In Europe more than 50% of cars have diesel engines. World demand for diesel is increasing every year. Diesel engines are generally more fuel-efficient and produce less greenhouse gases. All RVs should be diesel.

Turner :   Just because demand is high. That is bull. Does it cost more to make because demand is high ? NO! It is called greed. They know you want it and they charge you more to get it because they now you will pay it. I think I will started raising beef and paying over four dollars a gallon for diesel and 800 dollars a ton for fertilizer but you can bet you will pay eight dollars for a pound of beef. Milk should be good for eight dollars a gallon as well.What do you need worst food or diesel? Farmers lived very well before deisel was invented. You can bet they will survive again without deisel. But I bet you can't survive without food.I'll trade you a ear of corn for a gallon of fuel take it or leave it. By the way fuel does taste that great! As for corn it taste great and makes good fuel. Your forefathers had three uses for corn. Food, fuel and toilet paper! Rough but effective! It's hard to raise food in the sand get my point.

Tawnya in Texas :   What is wrong with this guy. Doesn't he do his research. Fuel prices are rising in spite of the low demand. People have reduced their dependency on fuel. I am not talking about the bio diesel. I am talking about the number of trucking companies that have reduced the need by going out of business because they can't even afford to haul loads and make a profit and pay for the upkeep on their trucks, the farmer that doesn't have the money to keep his tractors running and is losing his farm due to rising gas prices. There are also the lower, middle, and upper class workers that have bought a diesel vehicle thinking they were going to save in gas mileage, and pricing, only to have diesel prices pass gas prices and make it impossible for them to keep a job because they couldn't afford to drive back and forth to work. Even if they decided to buy a gasoline vehicle, the price is too high for some to get back and forth to work. Fuel is the only product in the world that is increasing it's price while the demand has decreased.

Roger :   Just a comment about Ignorance is not Bliss's remarks. He talks about the costs of running an oil company and research etc. But the profits are AFTER all costs and after all research and annualized capital costs. ALL costs. Economics 101.

Ignorance is not bliss :   OK folks, you REALLY need to stop making comments about the oil business when you have NO idea of what you speak. You whiners continually blame the "evil" oil companies, and the blame doesn't solely rest with them. They make about a 10% profit. You're judgement is clouded by seeing "earnings," which are in the billions. BUT, the expenses are also in the billions. If you were in business, you'd really like to make more than 10%, I'd think. It costs INORDINATE amounts of capital to build or maintain an industrial facility. You want that refinery that's in your neighborhood to blow up like a nuke? I think not. It takes a lot of people and a lot of very expensive equipment to ensure that it runs safely and doesn't kill and maim people inside and around the plant. That high cost to do business safely is whether you're pulling it out of the ground, or you're turning it from sludge into diesel or gasoline at a refinery. Do you have any clue that one control valve can cost $50k to $100k and some are way more expensive. One stinking valve (like your kitchen faucet, only bigger)!!! I'm tired of listening to the claptrap. If you want someone to blame, you need only look at yourselves. Conspicuous and irresponsible consumption reduces supply and raises prices. You'll save 30-40% of fuel consuption by slowing down to 55 or 60mph, but you don't want to be inconvenienced. Everyone gets so fired up about being "green" because it's the responsible thing to do (oh yeah, and it's fashionable), so try being "green" in your gaso-diesel use. All other factors relatively constant; reducing demand will cause prices to fall. It's that simple. Prices are market driven. Which leads me to one more point: oil companies don't set the prices. You and I do by trading oil on spot and futures markets. Our own greed of making money on the stock market is the primary factor in setting prices. Pick up an economics book, will ya? Pick up a book on the oil industry too, while you're at it. Your ignorance is showing.

We The People :   Our son has been using used transmission fluid with a very small amount of diesel fuel for over 2 years now. He gets the used transmission fluid for free since the companies have to pay to dispose of it. He is a master mechanic by trade and said his truck still runs fine.

Evil Bob :   Maybe the good ol U.S.A. oil companies should not be exporting the diesel fuel we have just to keep prices high in the U.S.

BronxItalioMan :   It comes to my attention that these rising Diesel Fuel prices will eventually cause many Blue Collar Transportation companies to file bankrupt. This is a sad time for America, since back in the 80's and 90's many of our industries moved to Third World Countries, which was the start of selling America out. Everything we buy or own is shipped via, Freight Trains, Tractor Trailers and smaller Trucks etc. These mostly use Diesel Fuel. Well People, we are coming to a very bad time in our country, and the wealthy people this time will profit from it! It is the time in America for people to rise up and tell the Government what we need, as our Constitution was written specifically for our best interest? This was written in case that the one's in power declare an act of turning against it's own citizens, which is happening right before our very eyes! The most I can give as an answer to our rising costs in Diesel, and even Gas in general is GREED! I could go on and on about the dominoe effect that our society has been set up for, but that is another subject, and would not be fiting about this subject. These people could live anywhere in the World, and survive. We could be left to destroy ourselves, or be destroyed for that matter? PEOPLE, WAKE UP! DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO SELL US OUT!

Tawnya in Texas :   I don't understand why everyone is whining about the price of fuel and not doing anything about it. Here in a small town in Texas we have started to implement a new way for the price of gas to be around $2.00 A GALLON. We have started to put some H.H.O.'s in our cars and trucks. Yes you will still pay what the gas costs at the pump. But you will do this at 50 miles per gallon less than what you are now. People like you and I are out there trying figure out a way to fix the problem without worrying about blaming anyone. We already know that we are getting the short end of the stick. There is nothing we can really do about it but fix it ourselves. This way our government has no control over how much we pay for gas. They will start losing money, we will take back our paychecks, take back our lives, and eventually our government. Remember in our Constitution it says that when our government is no longer working for the people that it is our duty, not our right, but our duty as Americans to throw out the old and elect a new government through impeachment. We are letting them get away with raising our fuel prices, which raises the price of EVERYTHING else. Why are we letting this happen. We need to use the brain we were given and come together, not just as a nation, because this is a world wide crises, and fix our cars and trucks. Already China is making deals with other country's to make Compressed Air ran cars and trucks, in Texas we are already using HHO (runs on water and gas mixture) cars and trucks. In High Schools across the nation kids, our kids are coming up with differant ideas for making our already sky high prices of fuel actually work for us. Look around. There have been no NEW inventions for a long time. We have altered what was already here. We just haven't invented anything new. Are we so lazy? Has our government really made us believe that there is nothing else? We need to do something. We can't wait. People are losing their jobs. Their Homes. Even their family's all because they can't keep it together due to rising gas prices. Yes, it is getting that bad. I work 15 miles from my home. I had to quit my job due to gas prices. I could no longer afford to get back and forth to work. That only makes it harder for my husband. Now with the HHO invention, life could get back to normal. I do not mean go out and buy one. I mean just figure out what you can do to fix this for yourselves.

CBGB :   It took me 10 minutes to read through this thread. And the only thing that comes to mind is, you're all right. I particularly enjoyed the elegant simplicity of the 25% better gas mileage theory. I just checked gas and diesel prices in SC (where the original poster is from) and it continues to, basically, hold true. It is definitely a complicated question with no single, simple answer. But applying Occam's Razor: 1) speculators and institutional investors are holding crude futures contracts longer because oil prices seem to be going nowhere but up (this in itself puts upward pressure on both contract prices and crude prices), 2) no growth in refining capacity while demand has increased exponentially, and 3) complacency and greed on the part of oil executives and crude producers. That's my answer and I'm sticking to it.

Medic115 :   Well think about this. If oil is 125.00 a barrel (6/3/08 price), that works out to $2.72 a gallon of oil. Do you really think it takes another $2.00 added to this to create a gallon of diesel. I think not. The oil companies are lining their pockets from the working man. THAT'S ALL

Refinery BS :   If the EPA regulations mandates that the refinerys take out more sulfur, then that makes sulfur a by-product. This by-product is marketable is it not. Medical, agricultural and so on. So if the EPA mandates diesel to meet certain levels is this not forcing the refinerys to produce more sulfur that can be sold. Basicaly forceing them to make more money. I belive the truth of the matter is in greed and being able to over price a product. If more consumers understood the basic distalation process they would be furious to how they are getting ripped off.

hbj :   Most of you guys here haven't got a clue as to why Diesel is so high. By 2013, China will equal the USA in the demand for oil. Basically, it is diesel that gets the shaft because it is the most used component of a barrel of oil. Yes, the USA has taxed it more highly but that isn't all the reason. There is only about 60-70% as much diesel in a barrel of crude as there is gaso-line.Go check the facts. So, the old myth that diesel costs less to refine is just not true. The low supfur standards of diesel fuel makes it equaly, if not more, expensive to refine.The regulated truck lines can charge a surcharge bue the independent trucker cannot always do this. Been there done that. If you want to stay in business, you have to give the customer a break to ghet the load. Biofuel is not the answer. Coal gasifi-cation is the answer for the next 30 - 40 years. Then, we'll have possibly found an alternative fuel source that is not fossil fuel based. The US Air Force is already experimenting with gasified coal for its fighters and bobmers. They mix it with about 15% JP-5 and it has shown some promise. No the problem is a multifactored one and isn't going to be resolved in the next few years. Isn't this like many other problems that we have? If there's something wrong, just blame Bush!!! Next!

Bill Kidman :   Diesel costs more because the oil companies want as much capacity as possible in their refineries for gas. They just have problems keeping up with demand.

Medic115 :   And what is really frustrating is 10 years ago making BioDiesel was cheap. Methanol, added to waste oil to make BioDiesel, cost less than $1.00 a gallon. When making 25 gallons of BioDiesel, you use about 5 gallons of Methanol, which works out to about .75 cents a gallon to make BioDiesel. NOW, the oil companies have raised the price of Methanol to over $5.00 a gallon, making it no longer cost efficient to make BioDiesel. The Oil Companies way of sticking it to the customer.

bhm in Toronto :   Diesel is no longer cheaper than gasoliine in Canada. It is about 10 cents more a litre. 45c a gallon. Also we are the second largest supplier to the U.S. but we also pay world oil prices, not cheaper because we have it. We pay about $1.20 a litre $5.00 a gallon.

pjones04 :   Yes the oil companies made 30 something billion on gas but the Fed, State and local government taxes were over 3.2 trillion for doing nothing!!! How come you're not bitching about that??

Dawn :   A day late and a dollar short I say. Last year when diesel was 2.98 a gallon, we decided it was a better idea considering we have to tow a boat and a trailer. Plus factoring the So Cal commute it was a better gig. OMG. Now we are looking at street bikes to make the commute saving us 400 dollars a month. 100 miles a day my husband travels to work, and I could remember how happy we were with our diesel and the money we were saving versus the 2005 gmc 2500 we had getting 11 miles a gallon. The truck we got is the 2008 Chevy Diesel. Great Truck about 17.5 a gallon. Between the both of us we are spending 1000 dollars a month on gas. Holy smokes you say, well living in So Cal try to find a house that you could afford. O life was good last year going to the river with our trailer and boat now we don't really know what to do. We have a trailer payment, but can't really afford the gas or the food for the weekend. Dear God whats gonna happen?

Penguin :   Why does diesel fuel cost more than gasoline? Because most gasoline (at least where I live) has about 10% ethanol added, and ethanol has less energy than gas or diesel fuel. So, you get fewer miles per gallon with gasoline. It's the MPG or energy you're paying for, not the volume amount. Any money you might save by buying fuel with ethanol (from corn) will be lost by the increase in food prices. So these are just a few reasons why ethanol from corn isn't the best solution to our energy crisis. Ethanol is really just a subsidy for farmers.

Ron :   Every other country that produces OIL offers discounts to their own residents. Mexico has cheap fuel. Same with Iraq, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, etc. Not the USA. Even tho the USA does not belong to OPEC, every barrel of oil that comes out of Alaska, Texas, or the Gulf of Mexico is sold to US citizens at the OPEC price per barrel.

fed-up :   Because there are more of us using it now!

ck :   You have to remember that you are talking about a product that is 'inelastic' meaning that people need to buy it no matter what the price. It is not subject to the normal rules of supply and demand. Also, I was discussing this topic with one of my friends who works for a large European car company and he stated that "there are not enough diesel refineries in the United States and that is why the price is higher." Not sure how much truth there is to this statement though...

BZ :   Just got back from another trip to Anchorage and Alaska diesel prices have caught up with the rest of the country. Diesel is now more than premimum gas. It is still a little less than Oregon or Washington. I find it interesting that this site has to do with RV Sales. Anyone care to guess how RV Sales will go this summer, or RV traffic on the Alcan ?? You folks asking why we own and drive diesel trucks. In my case, both my 3/4 ton Ford and Dodge gets almost 20 mph when not hauling anything. When diesel was less than regular gas, it was the logical way to go. Not now, however we are stuck with the trucks. I think diesel truck and car sales in the US will also be way down this year.

Sonny :   Around 2004, the city council of San Diego had some oil execs on the hot seat wanting them to "explain why petroleum products were higher in San Diego than just about anywhere else." The execs avoided the question until one council member would not let it go. Finally, one of the execs said: "because we can." He went on to say that they will charge whatever the market will bear and cited the cost of government required additives as being partly responsible. Of course, when the government wanted one of those additives removed, the industry said "it will cost money to take it out". If government is responsible for anything dealing with the cost of petroleum, it is in regulating the producers of same to death and consistently denying their request to drill for new large oil reserves in the continential US - especially Alaska. The oil industry in America made about 150 Billion dollars in profit last year alone. So any excuse you hear about refineries being off line, storms at sea, blah blah blah is just a big fabrication. For the last twenty years, our government has been become a big friend to radical left wing enviromentalists and turned its back to the American oil industry. Result? The industry has lost all sense of loyalty. So what is our answer? Let's regulate them some more. When will we ever learn?

RV Tom :   Communicate with congressmen. Someone said it would be a great stimulus to the economy to reduce diesel to less than gas prices. It would beat the tax rebate program.

Trucker from Ohio :   Jim is correct. Speculation is the main problem. He is also correct that we should hold our politicians accountable on this. It should be a supply and demand driven product, not a speculative market. However fuel surcharges are still affecting the price spread between gasoline and diesel and the speculators know this product can be pushed higher. You can ask most of the travel center managers if when they raise the price of diesel do they loose sales on the truck islands and the answer is no... the trucks are going to buy regardless, they are protected (partially) by the fuel surcharge. They may have noticed a lost at the RV islands and Diesel sold at the auto islands, but not at the truck islands. But like Jim siad, the speculators still control the market for the most part. For those on this board you get burnt because you are such a small percentage of the diesel sales that the industry could care less. Like Jim siad, contact your lawmakers, make your voice heard, maybe someday they will start to listen.

Jim :   Set politics aside. Unless I am mistaken, diesel fuel costs less per gallon to refine than gasoline. It follows that the pre-tax and pre-surcharge wholesale price should be lower on diesel fuel than gasoline since the 'stock' is the same for the refined product. Diesel fuel prices are a reaction to future anticipated supply and demand set by oil futures trading. They do not reflect the CURRENT cost of production and supply. Why are we expected to pay a relatively high price based on SPECULATION in this country? That is the question to ask your politicians!

1oilers3 :   "War is Lost" is so diluded in his hatred of the President that he doesn't have a clue about the Oil Industry. The oil companies make $.08/gallon. Congress makes over $.50/gallon. How much risk did Botox Pelosi and her minions put forth while Exxon was drilling for more oil, hmmmm? You explain Exxon's profits by considering the "free market" system. They have a product that we want and we buy it. I know that concept is strange to the socialists dressed up as liberals out there, but that's the way it is.

Bamboozled in va. :   I believe that in normal situations, the market sets the price. That is when there is fair competition. But big oil is a monopoly. It is very compareable to DeBeers in the diomond market.

Trucker from Ohio :   A reason not mentioned or I missed it is, FUEL SURCHARGES. Your largest users of diesel charge fuel surcharges and such keep the cost lower. However a lot of truck drivers do not recieve enough to cover the increased cost. In trucking most fuel surcharges are based on a 6mpg and short miles... so in order to cover the increase the truck needs to get closer to 7mpg. Most trucks avg. at 6mpg or less. Not all large companies pass on the actual fuel surcharge collected... JB Hunt and Schneider both make money on this and have agreements with the railroads to pass on a percentage of these profits. You will see more and more truck owners selling out and either quit driving or driving for a large company. Back to fuel surcharges... you the consumer will pay it... a store is not going to pay it and not pass it on.

ronbo :   The Government should step in and stop price fixing and people should buy at the least expensive station.

War_Is_Lost :   It's 100% the Bush administration's (Republican's) fault...Big Oil donated heavily to his campaigns and he is simply returning the favor. That's why our entire family who has been hard-core life-long Republicans will now only vote straight Democratic, like many other families are starting to do. It will be a pleasure watching Big Oil get taxed clear off this planet after the '08 elections. Some people want to argue this will mean they will pass the taxes onto us, not true that's just a scare tactic...they're ALREADY gouging all of us, that would simply make them even bigger scum suckers since everyone know how much they're profiting. I've learned all the Republican party is good at is loosing wars and supporting big oil.

RV69 :   Let's get our heads out of the sand ! It's not Bush or Chaney. It is our Congress & Senate that don't have time care what you think, after all we voted them in. They set the taxes and are planning to raise again next year. Where are the road improvements, FAA & flight safety systems, the monies they bled off Social Security, the enviromental folks that don't want new fuel plants to be built or nuclear power. Gee, some of us got a cost of living adjustment that we now put back in medicare and other insurance (net loss)more than twice the COL. Diesel is up more than 3X in 4 yrs. My 97 truck gets close to 20/21 mpg. 93 RV (4-5 times car weights) still gets better than some SUV's. Congress doesn't care they do not pay at the pump, WE pay for them and their expensive vehicles they want us not to have. Express yourself GO VOTE !!

Why? :   Isn't this amazing? The oil companies are ripping us off but there are people here who defend them. It's kind of sad.

Montana Mike :   I am ashamed to be an RV'er and a Senior. We should be wiser and better informed, insted we either generate or believe this garbage being spread on this topic. Blame the President, he is a Republican, not the Democrat Congress who write and pass the tax laws. Blame the Oil companies, because they make a profit, Lord knows if you were running the company, you would cut the price to be nice. And my favorite, "Don't buy gas for a day", that will show them. Do you have any idea how good a laugh they have over that one? If you want to have an effect, get all of your friends, who believe everything you say, to stop buying from the big companies, Exon/Mobil and Shell. You might also consider only buying from companies that don't use imported oil. But,hay, you have it all figured out, it's Bush, so write him a letter, or start one of those e-mail petitions, that will scare him. I am ashamed of those of you who think you know something about business, but you have never been anything but somebody elses employee. Get educated, or get out of the arena. If you don't risk anything, then you don't recieve a reward. You may not like it, but those big oil companies risk it all every day. A fire in as refinery, or a ship wrecked tanker, or a broken pipe line, or losing an offshore rig. What did you risk? You bought a diesel rig, and the price to operate it went up because of the market---- YOU LOOSE! Get the picture? Quite whining!

Lynbr812 :   The fact is that when George Bush took office in 2000 the price of Diesel Fuel was $.99/gallon!! The only reason the price of Diesel has increased as it has is because George is bound and determined to line the pockets of all his oil friends!!! Also, we have not built a NEW REFINERY in the USA since the 1970's!! Diesel costs less than HALF the amount of gasoline to process....there is no reason in the world that it should now cost us so much more at the pump! Not only that, but the oil companies and the auto industry do not want us to buy more fuel efficient diesel powered cars! Diesel powered cars can get up to 50-55 mpg!!! Almost all the cars in Europe are diesel powered. The cost of Diesel is artifically high to prohibit the people of the USA from buying the more efficient cars! It is simply GREED on the part of the oil companies! This is a MESS!!! Thanks a lot, George! You have made this mess for us!

TJB :   Why is the govt letting oil companies export 6% of diesel fuel and other oil distilates? That is what is driving up the price of diesel. That is why we are paying more for everything we buy. All the goods we buy are transported by vehicles that use diesel fuel.

cb5300 :   Because they can.....Does 40 Billon in profits ring a bell with you?

fbaol :   The "American way" ..villify a person or an organization whenever any problem arises. And never, never admit that there is anything we can do ourselves. It is wonderful that what we believe does not need to be based on facts. What a great world we live in.

LAL :   Looking for a boost to the economy - just revert the cost of diesel to less than regular gasoline (as it was prior to 9/11). The ripple effect (I think) would be huge to the consumer and businesses.

Don P. :   The oil companies control everything from the drilling all the way through to station pumps so - they can do anything they want. And I believe it's called a MONOPOLY. The gov't. does nothing about it because the oil cos. own them too. Just pay & pay & pay. Nothing you can do about it.

Insider :   There is a direct correlation between oil company obscene profits and unfettered increases in fuel prices. Remember Enron? Do any of you remember what they did with electricity supplies? The oil companies learned that lesson very well and are doing the same thing. They have shut down a LOT refining capacity on purpose so as to control supply. I once had access to a web page that listed how many refineries shut down and who bought them to shut them down. That page has disappeared. From memory, over HALF the refining capacity has disappeared. Do you want to know more? There was discussion among the oil companies about thirty years ago and THEY decided that too much capacity hurt their bottom line. So they shifted to close that capacity AND raise the refining cost. By doing so, they were able to control the independents, actually, they put them out of business AND they now control the price their retailers can charge. Understand this, control the supply and you control the prices. Do you know what oil companies fear the most? No you, not governments, they fear nothing but ONE word....... and only ONE word.... NATIONALIZATION

Firefox :   I think we should have one day a month in which nobody drives including truckers, aircraft, etc. I feel this would bring the price down. In addition, boycott foreign gas/diesel.

bogey-golfer :   No matter what happens, the public will pay up for fuel........and if we arrive at an engine that gets 30 MPG in an RV, the price of fuel will rise to insure the gov't gets their share of our pocketbook........ you just can't win !

unclej :   Did any notice that the house of representatives passed a 81 billion tax on the oil companys and cut the tax to citgo cheves of venezuela does this make sense. Why has the congress done nothing? They set back and ring their hands. Also why arent we drilling in anwar alaska wants to but the tree huggers wont let it happen. So quit bad mouthing pesident bush and put the blame where it belongs

oldsplinter :   Lets think about this for a minute. In Calif the tax on a gallon of fuel is crazy. It used to be posted on the pump but the state got smart and took it off. I think it's over 50 cents a gallon and was to go to road repair. That stopped and it went into the general fund and Calif. roads are terrible. We have to have diesel to run the big trucks because everything except utilities is delivered by a truck. When the President of this country doesn't know that the price of a gallon of fuel is going over $4.00 it should be no wonder why we're in trouble. He is out of touch with reality!

4Ks :   Diesel is the fuel-du-jour right now. The govenment had a chance to stop it with hearings with big oil to determine if there was gouging. When there is enough gas/oil reserves, refineries were producing to their capacity, and demand is down, if the price kept going up, someone was gouging. What no one has mentioned is how important it is for Congress to get to the bottom of this steroid use with all their hearings. If you asked any American which were more important right now-steroid use or our standard of living, no surprise answer here. Investments losing money, taxes killing us, food is costing more, houses being lost, etc, but we REALLY must get to the bottom of this steroid thing. Don't you think there are plenty of oil men in Congress? With all the profits oil companies make, do you think for one minute they didn't say to the committee, "Here's an extra 100K under the table, make sure we come out okay." They spent less time deciding that issue than they have on any other issues. Money talks and 11.4 billion really screams. We are never going to win this battle, there are too many people out there that will pay whatever price fuel is. We have friends who do this and complain about prices, but no life style change. The truckers need to band together and force a slowdown. The politicians still need to eat. They don't pay for meals, health care, fuel, etc, but they still have to eat. Truckers-UNITE and show your strength. We're behind you.

cody99 :   Oilman in the white house, all his cabinet are oilmen or lobbyists, and big oil knows that and is doing anything it wants...40 billion profit last quarter, come on, do you really believe their bull_...the only answer is to control big oil with the federal government...this is way too important to everyone to allow this rip off anymore. The problem is they buy off all the politicians so im doubtful anything will ever be done but keep writing your legislators and voting against big oil...

commuterguy :   Here's what I think. Fuel prices in my area is $3.299 for regular and $4.099 for diesel. I recently read an article by an economist the esmimated diesel fuel mileage at 25% higher than gas. So; 1.25% X 3.299 = $4.12 - .06 (fed tax higher for diesel) = $4.06 . Why wouldn't the oil companies gouge everyone (truckers and product consumers) equally. We end up paying the majority of the diesel costs anyway and it looks like they didn't have to charge the John Doe motorist any more.

FTW :   Over here ( Europe) diesel cars have been promoted the last 5 years as being economical, and the public fell for it. When sales reached a maximum, then the price was raised to 8 dollars a gallon ( liter conversion of currency).... and the majority of that price being from state tax! We are the cow that gets milked, both by oil companies and the government...always have been.

I hate Bush!!!!!!! :   RE:FedUpWithIgnorance wrote: Holy cow, the ignorance put forth in this forum is incredible! You criticize things about which you know absolutely nothing. You have this incredible idea that government and the oil companies have this huge conspiracy going on, and are setting fuel prices at a whim. FOLKS, GET A CLUE. Crude and refined oil products are traded on the open market by people like you and me, as with any commodity. That sets the prices, not the gov't or oil companies. This is free enterprise as well as the economic principles of supply and demand. Regardless, are you aware that adjusted for inflation, the cost of fuel as a percentage of your income has been on a steady decline since the early 1900s? Quit whining. If you have such a problem with fuel prices, then trade in your 8mpg RVs for an econobox and a lightweight popup. Or better yet, quit getting your facts from inaccurate internet or TV sensationalized soundbites, and do some real research into how free enterprise works when it comes to oil, or any other commodity. Get yourselves educated instead of braying like donkeys regarding stuff about which you know nothing. How do you explain Exxon's record $11.7 billion in quarterly profit??

woodcutter :   I think the US Dept of Energy is less than a joke. They know what the problem is and so does every vehicle operator in this country. Its called BIG OIL. GREED and supported and condoned by this administration whose leader is even more of a joke.

Max :   Supply and demand is bunch of bunk when it comes to oil, telecommunications, electricity and the auto industry. Know any private gas station owners that can set their prices? They are told what price and the only way they make money is by having some other service. If it was really supply and demand the price wouldn't go up 30 cents in a day when it is the same fuel in the storage tank from a week ago. Ask why some of the large oil companies bought out some of the independent refineries and tore them down. I'm sure people will blame tree huggers but it was all about profit and nothing different. Wonder why big oil and the VP had closed door meetings that even the GAO couldn't find out what took place. Now we know! Need to bring back Teddy Roosevelt and start regulating these out of control companies. And, it's not just oil it's medical, insurance companies along with auto, telephone companies, electric companies, natural gas and banks too. There was a reason they had many of these companies regulated in the past to stop what has taken place over the past 20 years. Need to start breaking them up and put limits back on interest, necessary fuel, telephones, electricty. Didn't they break up AT&T now look who's back?

Supe :   Years ago, people in the US lived close to their place of work. Then, with affluence, the white collar middle class migrated further away to the suburbs. Why? 'cause they could afford to buy a car and so, drive to work. After the Korean War, affluence came to the blue collar working class also. So, they too moved to the suburbs. The gas price in the US is still a lot cheaper than in Europe. However, if you are too "uppity up" to take public transportation to work, then live with the "high cost" of fuel!

tony b :   I'd like to know why someone needs to drive a pickup truck to work, presumably not needing the truck itself. I have a dodge diesel dually to pull my toys with, BUT I drive a hybrid to work that gets over 50 mpg. I would not drive my dually that gets about 15 just to go to work in. We all need to start conserving people before we are forced to.

FU OPEC :   Diesel fuel is the bi-product of regular gasoline so why does it cost almost $1 more than 85 low grade fuel? Yes there are requirements for low sulfur fuel in diesels now but it's becoming a burden on those who drive diesels. Think about it, blue collar workers to include truckers, farmers, towing companies, loggers, busing companies, and so on and so forth use diesel to provide transportation and or a service to make your life easier day to day. When the price of diesel goes up so does the price of building a house, food, transport, etc...ridiculous. I personally use my truck to make sports cars look rediculous when they pull up to me at a red light but I don't like paying the over inflated price. I guess the next step for diesel owners is to create their own biodiesel and just completely stop using 'on the economy' diesel until prices stabalize. It costs me roughly $120-$130 per week to drive my truck to work. You're looking at a car payment in gas just to drive to work every month. I bought my truck because the engine has more longevity, power, and fuel economy. Not so with Diesel costing nearly $4/gal.

slate108 :   I'm all for profitable business but billions per quarter off the backs of working class people is uncalled for, what happened to the laws against price gauging? opec says its because of the faultering us dollar, Bull sh... maybee we should trade a bushel of grain for a barrel of crude. how long could they last without our farmers who have to pay the same price for diesel as everyone else

Cooper :   Bush is in the oil business that is why he never brings it up. He and Chanie both are making a killing. They are not here for the American people they are here for profit.

Happy Wanderer :   I think the reason diesel costs more than gas is because people are prepared to pay it and don't object. There's no reason for the premium in fact there are many reasons why it should be cheaper.

Jaguar47 :   It seems the European Union has a handle on the real value of Diesel. Pssst... a "secret", they use HEATING OIL too. So WHY does Diesel cost more? It's the biggest con-job. All this psych-babble economy/futures nonsense has got to STOP.

Jaguar47 :   I just checked the fuel cost difference in Europe, specifically Austria: All are priced Euros/liter Bio Diesel 1.069 Diesel 1.139 Regular 1.208 Super 1.172 Super Plus 1.368

Bill K :   Thanks, Mr Bush. Just the other day he was asked by a reporter; don't you think 4.00 a gal of gas at the pump will really hurt the people? reply, I DIDEN'T HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT 4.00 PER GAL. Out right lie!!!. Here in NJ as of Saturday March 1, Diesel is 3.53 Hi test, 3.13. If regular gas hits 4.00 a gallon, diesel will be close to 4.60. Bush must think I get a raise everytime BIG OIL raises it price. Tired of this BULLCRAP. like to know how much he pays for gas, NOTHING. Then these radio people have the nerve to say; and people just keep driving, yeah that's right, to work, food store and pick up our kids. There all a bunch of JO'S

sd_horse_guy :   You all will just have to move to San Diego were diesel across the border is 2.04 a gallon :()

gabe_dr :   A pizza delivery guy only makes a few bucks per day but a truck-delivery do over 16 per hour. People go to any country in this stupid planet and you're going to find diesel prices cheaper than gas. Its all about money ask uncle sam. Diesel is less toxic than gas sooooo please stop lying with that shit ... Don't believe what i said? Go to domican replublic or brazil? Those guy use gas propane in cars which is less toxic than gas and diesel together

David :   I don't know about the rest of the Canadians, but I believe the diesel prices are higher than gas just because there are more diesels are on the road now. I bought my diesel for the power and mileage, and now the prices are higher than midgrade gas. Can you honestly tell me that there is no price fixing by the Canadian government? Personally I feel the governments are a bunch of thieves and rip us off any chance they get. Maybe they should get real jobs, so they know what it's like to be ripped off.

BZ :   Just returned from Anchorage Alaska. The price of diesel in Alaska has NEVER been more than Premium Gas, it has always been just above or just below Regular Gas. I am in Oregon and the price of Diesel is 30 to 50 cents more than PREMIUM Gas. In Alaska it is the same as regular gas (as of October 26, 2007) around $3.00 per gallon ($3.49 in Oregon). Just burns me knowing what the price of diesel used to be. One of the reasons I purchased a diesel.

l8rg8rz :   A barrel of oil produces roughly 4 barrels of diesel when refined OR 5 barrels of gas Using more oil to produce the diesel results in a more closely associated cost that is directly related to the cost of the oil. That is why diesel was lower than gas when oil was lower a few years ago. As the cost per barrel increased you see the diesel moving faster up in cost than gas. Cost to refine is basically unchanged. Diesel is more of an oil based product where gas is more solvent based. Ex solvents evaporate quickly (gas) while oils stain and leave residuals behind which won't evaporate(diesel)

David :   Ranger's comment is not true. Diesel like gas is made from crude oil and refined. There's no diesel as such underground. The reason it costs more is the oil companies feel they can charge more. In other countries diesel is subsidised (less tax) to benefit the environment.

Ranger_75 :   1. There is more of it under ground. 2. The cost is less to refine. I wonder who is getting the needless markup from the diesel. I wonder what it would be like if Congress and the Senate could not vote their self's raises. Maybe we should take them off of salary. And make them punch a time card, just like the rest of america. I am a combat disabled vet. And I worked very hard to buy a diesel motorhome and would love to be able to afford to drive it a little more. If any of or governing body would like to see how a Ranger earns his pay. I would Gladly suit up and take them on a tour of Iraqs oil fields. I don't mean in a bulletproof Vehicle. I would Suggest one at a time tag along with small fast teams. Hooah ( SUA SPONTE) Attack with out warning.

MARTIN,S TRUCKING :   LETS PUT A END TO THIS NONSENCE, DIESEL SHOULD NOT BE HIGHER THAN GASOLINE BECAUSE OF LOWER SULFUR. THEY ARE JUST USING THAT FOR A PLOY. WE NEED TO BOYCOTT ALL TRACTOR TRAILERS ON THE ROAD FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND LET THE CONSUMERS SCREAM TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF WHY THEY CAN,T GET THEIR GOODS ANYMORE.

Bill :   Your idea of living on the South Gulf Co of FL is a wonderful idea something we have comtemplated for a long time but what about "the storms and insurance"????????

Tony Battersby :   FedUpWithIgnorance you're correct but if you think that most people don't understand they you're overestimating yourself and underestimating everyone else. Most people know what you're saying but that doesn't answer the legitimate question of why diesel costs more than gas. It's free market of course but more than that. Connie's point was correct, diesel is taxed less in Europe for environmental reasons. That'll happen here eventually as she says. The environmental lobby is getting stronger every day.

FedUpWithIgnorance :   Holy cow, the ignorance put forth in this forum is incredible! You criticize things about which you know absolutely nothing. You have this incredible idea that government and the oil companies have this huge conspiracy going on, and are setting fuel prices at a whim. FOLKS, GET A CLUE. Crude and refined oil products are traded on the open market by people like you and me, as with any commodity. That sets the prices, not the gov't or oil companies. This is free enterprise as well as the economic principles of supply and demand. Regardless, are you aware that adjusted for inflation, the cost of fuel as a percentage of your income has been on a steady decline since the early 1900s? Quit whining. If you have such a problem with fuel prices, then trade in your 8mpg RVs for an econobox and a lightweight popup. Or better yet, quit getting your facts from inaccurate internet or TV sensationalized soundbites, and do some real research into how free enterprise works when it comes to oil, or any other commodity. Get yourselves educated instead of braying like donkeys regarding stuff about which you know nothing.

rws :   Distillates always run less thaN gas on the futures market. Right now it's 50 cents a gallon. But that ratio is not found at the pumps. Why are diesel prices usually higher? Because they can! And there ain't nothin' we can do about it.

Tim King :   why does everyone constantly defer to those Cliches that we should bow down to big business and thank God to them for providing all of the jobs in this country. big business. Big business provides less than 10% of the jobs in this country, yet they get 99 % of the tax breaks. The only reason fuel prices keep going through the roof is because of pure unadulterated greed, plain and simple. The government is ran by the wealthy and no one cares what happens to the working man. The government cut a subsidy deal with the truckers in the seventies when the truckers shut the country down over fuel price increases. If it were not for these subsidies, the truckers would have put an end to this koas three years ago. Guess who pays the subsidy for the fuel to the truckers, the Federal Government, Guess where the federal Govt. gets it, thats is right, you and me. Tim King

c.e.o. :   The truth. We keep eyes on the indicators and the people who knows what's what found an extra 10% profit margin by raising the price of diesel fuel because the increased demand of new consumers that bought diesel fueled vehicles in the united states understanding that the people are seeking somewhere else to go to save money, we won't allow that in order to insure our existence in the future. The future is in hydrogen technology. And so the true cost of this transformation is being felt now and from here on out. It's not personal. It's business! You might not like it, but the ones with the gold rule!

Jordan :   We don't have diesel cars in this country because GM killed them. They tried to build diesels using gasoline engines such as Volkswagen had, but screwed up and they produced junk.