AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report for Friday, 9/17/21

National Average Price for Regular Unleaded Current: $3.096; Month Ago: $3.609; Year Ago: $3.293. National Average Price for Diesel Current: $4.697; Month Ago: $5.269; Year Ago: $3.578.

The American Trucking Associations welcomed five major new federal investments by the Department of Transportation that will add approximately 1,000 truck parking spaces and make it easier for drivers to locate parking along key freight corridors in Florida, Missouri, Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. “The severe shortage of truck parking continues to rank among drivers’ highest concerns, which is why we appreciate that Secretary Buttigieg and a growing number of states are making these projects a top priority,” said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. “America’s highways are our shop floor. When drivers finish their shift, they deserve to know that they will be able to find a safe place to sleep that night. These significant investments in expanding parking capacity along some of America’s busiest freight corridors will help reduce supply chain bottlenecks, alleviate stress on truck drivers and make the roadways safer for all motorists.”

Futures in New York were little changed after slumping 2.4 percent Monday. Inventories probably dropped by about 3.5 million barrels last week, according to a Bloomberg survey before an Energy Information Administration report on Wednesday. Libya has stopped loadings from its biggest oil field, while Venezuela’s exports also declined in the first half of August. “Right now, we are seeing a draw on the U.S. inventory stocks,” said Michael Poulsen, an analyst at Global Risk Management Ltd. As “the driving season is coming to an end, the question is if the latest draws in U.S. inventories will continue.” U.S. crude stockpiles have declined by almost 43 million barrels since the end of June, according to the Energy Information Administration. While inventories have eased, oil production has increased to the highest since July 2015. Output from major shale fields is also forecast to climb to a record next month. Click Read More below for additional detail.