Cleveland Gas Tops $4.05 and Diesel Reaches $5.33 in Latest AAA Check

Cleveland-area fuel prices climbed again in AAA’s July 31 check, with regular gasoline reaching an average of $4.051 per gallon and diesel reaching $5.331.

Regular gas rose 9.1 cents from the previous day and 10.1 cents from the prior week. Diesel increased 3.5 cents from the previous day and 21.4 cents from the prior week, giving diesel users the sharper recent weekly increase.

Regular gasoline moves above $4

The Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria metro average for regular gasoline was $4.051 per gallon on July 31, according to AAA. The average was $3.960 the day before and $3.950 one week earlier.

Compared with a year ago, the metro regular-gas average was up $1.019 per gallon. For a driver filling a 15-gallon tank, that year-over-year difference represents about $15.29 more per fill, before considering differences between stations or vehicle fuel economy.

Diesel posts the larger weekly increase

Diesel reached $5.331 per gallon in the same AAA Cleveland-Lorain-Elyria report. That was 3.5 cents higher than the previous day and 21.4 cents higher than the prior week, when the average was $5.117.

Diesel was also $1.652 per gallon above its year-ago average of $3.679. A 100-gallon fill-up therefore costs about $165 more than it would have at last year’s average price, although actual costs depend on the station, tank size and purchase timing.

EIA benchmark also shows gasoline rising

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s weekly Cleveland series provides a separate benchmark. Its regular-gas figure increased to $3.904 per gallon for the week of July 27, up from $3.891 for the prior week.

The EIA number covers a different reporting period and is not a replacement for AAA’s July 31 metro snapshot. Together, the readings show Cleveland-area regular-gas prices moving higher in late July, while AAA’s current data also shows a pronounced weekly increase for diesel.

What higher prices could mean locally

For Cleveland commuters and households, continued increases would raise the cost of regular trips, school transportation, errands and other driving. The effect is larger for people with long commutes or vehicles with lower fuel economy.

Higher diesel prices are a cost to watch for delivery operators, contractors, repair companies, landscapers, service businesses and other operators that rely on trucks or equipment. Those businesses may face higher operating costs when vehicles make frequent stops or travel across the region. The same pressure can affect household deliveries and services if fuel costs are reflected in future prices or fees.

AAA’s figures are metro averages, not prices at every Cleveland station. Local pumps can be above or below the average, so comparing nearby stations remains important. What are the highest and lowest gas or diesel prices you are seeing around Cleveland?

Sources

• AAA Fuel Prices — Ohio Metro Average Prices
• U.S. Energy Information Administration — Cleveland Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices
• WHIO-TV — How gas prices have changed in Cleveland in the last week