Baton Rouge Gas Slips to $3.64 as Diesel Nears $4.99 on Aug. 1

Regular gasoline prices eased in the Baton Rouge metro on Saturday, August 1, while diesel moved in a mixed direction and remained just below $5 per gallon. The latest AAA price check shows separate trends for the two fuels, with diesel still carrying the heavier cost for fuel-intensive work and transportation.

AAA reported a Baton Rouge metro average of $3.639 per gallon for regular gasoline. That was down 0.8 cents from the previous day and 3.0 cents from a week earlier.

Diesel averaged $4.987 per gallon in the Baton Rouge metro. The price fell 0.3 cents from the previous day but rose 1.6 cents from a week earlier. Diesel remained only a fraction below $5 per gallon, a threshold that matters to trucking, construction, landscaping, agriculture, delivery operations and other businesses that rely on diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.

A separate Baton Rouge city-station measure from WBRZ‘s Gas Tracker, powered by GasBuddy data, showed an average of $3.412 per gallon for gasoline. That figure was down from $3.417 the prior day but above $3.395 a week earlier.

Why the local averages differ

The AAA and WBRZ/GasBuddy figures are not conflicting readings of the same exact market. AAA’s number is a metro average covering a broader area, while the WBRZ/GasBuddy figure reflects station-level data within the city and may use a different set of locations and reporting methods. Individual stations can also be higher or lower than either average.

For Baton Rouge households, the modest decline in regular gas may slightly reduce the cost of weekend driving, commuting and errands, but the savings are limited unless prices continue to fall. Contractors, delivery drivers, service companies, restaurants and farmers may feel diesel costs more directly through vehicle fuel, equipment use and delivery expenses. Fuel costs can also affect event logistics and services that depend on frequent driving or freight movement.

Drivers comparing stations should check the posted price before filling up because local differences can exceed the daily movement in the metro average. Share the highest and lowest pump prices you are seeing around Baton Rouge.

Sources

• AAA Louisiana fuel-price page
• WBRZ Gas Tracker powered by GasBuddy
• U.S. Energy Information Administration petroleum data