US Truckstop Diesel Sales Increase in September

27 October 2008

Diesel volumes at truckstops increased in September over 2007 volumes, according to a fuel survey conducted by NATSO, an association representing 1,100 truckstops and travel plazas. The September results marked the first year-over-year increase in diesel sales volumes since April and followed a sharp 7.8% decline in August.

NATSO’s survey showed that diesel sales at truckstops in September increased 3.17% compared with September of 2007. The average diesel volume for a single truckstop location was 830,480 gallons in September, compared with last year’s average volume of 804,972 for the same month.

Diesel volumes experienced a strong start at the beginning of 2008, but increases did not continue through the spring and summer months. In January and February, truckstop diesel volumes increased at a rate of close to 6% year on year. However, as diesel prices rose, volumes began to decline, and by March sales had dropped by 2.5% over the previous year. Diesel sales slightly recovered in April, increasing just more than 2%, but then dropped sharply in May, falling 5.8% compared with May 2007.

June diesel sales declined 5.2% compared with June 2007, and July sales dropped 4.5% year over year. Diesel sales at truckstops in August declined 7.8% compared with August of 2007.