Far Rockaway Gas & Diesel Watch: Regular up slightly, diesel flat vs yesterday

Today’s AAA fuel-price check for the New York metro benchmark (used by this Far Rockaway beat) shows regular gasoline nudging up versus yesterday, while diesel is basically flat. For residents and businesses along the Rockaways, those small per-gallon moves still add up over a week of commuting and deliveries.

Far Rockaway is one of the Rockaways communities covered by Queens Community Board 14, and the price swings people feel at the pump ripple through neighborhood budgets—especially for anyone who drives to work, hauls gear, or routes diesel vehicles for contracts.

Regular gas: slightly higher than yesterday, up versus last week

AAA shows regular gasoline at $4.1390 per gallon as of 7/20/26. Compared with yesterday (7/19/26), regular is up from $4.1230 (a +$0.016 increase). It’s also higher than last week: $4.0240 → $4.1390.

Locally, that kind of week-over-week increase matters most for drivers doing repeated fill-ups—commuters heading in and out of the Rockaways and households planning routine errands and school runs.

Diesel: flat day-to-day, but still higher than a week ago and a year ago

On diesel, AAA lists $5.7270 per gallon as of 7/20/26. Versus yesterday (7/19/26), diesel is essentially unchanged: $5.7290 → $5.7270 (a -$0.002 change). But versus last week, diesel is clearly higher: $5.6300 → $5.7270.

The bigger long-term squeeze is still the year-ago gap: $4.1590 → $5.7270. For delivery drivers, contractors, and any local business running diesel-powered routes, that year-ago difference is the kind of cost pressure that tends to show up in pricing, service decisions, and operating budgets—even if the daily movement looks minor.

National context from EIA: gasoline and on-highway diesel both up vs week-ago

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update shows the broader trend continuing upward versus the previous week. In the EIA table for the July 14, 2026 release (next update listed as July 21, 2026), U.S. regular gasoline is up +$0.078 versus week-ago, and U.S. on-highway diesel is up +$0.218 versus week-ago.

What Far Rockaway readers can do next

Because AAA’s New York metro average is a benchmark—not a promise of any specific Far Rockaway station’s price—local results can vary block-to-block. Still, the direction of change is useful for planning when you can:

• Compare nearby stations before filling, especially if you’re topping up for commuting or work routes.
• If you have flexibility, watch for timing swings from weekday to weekend, since the underlying trend can keep nudging over short windows.
• For diesel operators, budget with the year-ago level in mind, not just the day-to-day noise.

Want to help neighbors sanity-check the market? Share the highest and lowest pump prices you’re seeing in the Far Rockaway area right now.

Sources

• AAA Fuel Prices — New York state page (includes New York metro average row and day/week/month/year comparisons)
• EIA Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (national weekly price context)
• NYC Queens Community Board 14 — Rockaways/Far Rockaway neighborhoods description
• NYSERDA — Weekly Average Motor Gasoline Prices (state-run weekly series)