Wilmington gas slips again, diesel barely moves, and both stay well above last year

AAA’s May 11 fuel-price check shows Wilmington-area drivers getting two different signals at the pump: regular gas slipped again, while diesel was basically flat. Regular is down 2.5 cents from yesterday to $4.081 a gallon, and diesel is down just 0.4 cent to $5.595. Even with the daily move, both fuels are still materially higher than a week, a month, and a year ago.

Regular gas got a small break i

For everyday drivers, the regular-gas move is a modest win, not a reset. Wilmington’s $4.081 average is still above last week’s $4.023, last month’s $3.956, and last year’s $2.795. Commuters filling up this morning saw a little relief from yesterday, but the broader pattern is still elevated compared with recent months and the same time last year.

Wilmington regular gas is also running below the broader averages AAA is tracking: about 8 cents under North Carolina’s $4.160 average and about 44 cents under the U.S. average of $4.520. That helps explain why some local drivers may feel a slight edge over the state and national picture, even while the pump still stings.

Diesel is the bigger cost story i

Diesel moved much less. Wilmington’s diesel average is $5.595, which is basically unchanged from yesterday. It remains below last week’s $5.666 and last month’s $5.866, but it is still far above last year’s $3.330. Diesel is also above North Carolina’s $5.440 average but still a bit below the U.S. average of $5.636.

That matters most for contractors, delivery drivers, restaurants, farmers, service fleets, and other businesses that burn fuel all day instead of just once in a while. When diesel stays near this level, it can show up in hauling costs, service calls, supply runs, and eventually in the prices residents pay for goods and travel. The broader fuel market also remains elevated, which helps explain why the relief at the pump has been limited.

Bottom line: Wilmington drivers filling regular gas got a small break from yesterday, but not enough to erase the higher-price trend. Diesel remains a bigger budget item for local freight and small-business operators, even after its tiny daily move. If you are out around town or traveling this weekend, fuel costs are still something to plan around. Share the highest and lowest pump prices you are seeing locally, and help keep the neighborhood price watch going.

Sources

• AAA Gas Prices — North Carolina fuel prices
• U.S. Energy Information Administration — Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update