Idiots -- August 21, 2015

The Dickinson Press reports that diesel is less expensive than gasoline. 

Stamart Travel Center manager Becca Neustel of Bismarck said she’d have to look back in the books to see the last time diesel fuel was lower than gasoline.

“It’s been a very, very long time,” she said.

The price for diesel at the station was $2.55 a gallon Thursday, 24 cents cheaper than regular unleaded gasoline.

In Dickinson, diesel could be purchased for $2.59 a gallon at multiple stations throughout the city. That was about 10 cents cheaper than super unleaded gasoline, the cheapest at the pumps.

In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the last time diesel was the cheapest fuel at the pump was 11 years ago in 2004. The department said the marker was reached in July when the average price of diesel nationwide dipped 2 cents a gallon below regular gasoline.

"According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the last time diesel was the cheapest fuel at the pump was 11 years ago in 2004." Fail. It was about six years ago, in 2009. 

It took about three seconds to google and find this from May 14, 2009:

 The story at the link:

As of Monday, May 11, 2009, the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel in the U.S. was $2.216, while the average price for a gallon of regular-grade gasoline was $2.240. That's a big deal, as diesel fuel has historically cost a least a bit more than premium gasoline here in the United States. Obviously, that trend is slowly changing. Towards the end of March, there were many areas of the country where diesel fuel was less expensive than gasoline, and today, that trend has taken hold on a national level.

Although this may seem like excellent news for automakers interested in selling diesel vehicles in the States, it has pretty much proven impossible to accurately predict what fuel prices will be more than a few weeks in advance. So, while it may seem likely that automakers would be more willing to bring efficient oil-burning cars to the American market in light of these favorable diesel prices, we wouldn't recommend getting your hopes up. However, if you already own a whirling derv, you may just have enough extra scratch at the end of the week to get yourself that cup of Starbucks.

"... enough extra scratch to get yourself that cup of Starbucks." Unlikely, since 2009, Starbucks has raised prices several times, and a small cup of coffee will now cost you over $2.00.