Grand Rapids-Area Gas Reaches $4.42; Diesel Tops $5.36

Regular gasoline and diesel both moved higher in the latest AAA price check for the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland metro, with diesel continuing to create a heavier cost pressure for businesses that rely on frequent or heavy vehicle use.

AAA listed regular gasoline at an average of $4.421 per gallon on July 31. That was 12.8 cents higher than the previous day’s check, 13.9 cents higher than a week earlier and 35.5 cents higher than a month earlier.

Diesel is rising faster over the month

Diesel averaged $5.367 per gallon across the same metro area. The diesel average increased 5 cents from the prior day’s check, 17.3 cents over the past week and 47.1 cents over the past month.

Diesel’s monthly increase was larger than regular gas’s increase, adding to the exposure of delivery operators, contractors, farmers, restaurants and service companies that use trucks, vans or equipment.

The figures describe the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland metro, not the City of Grand Rapids alone. Individual stations can be above or below the metro average, and not every pump changes by the same amount or on the same schedule.

A sharp move after a lower-priced snapshot

The latest increase follows a July 27 WKZO regional report that identified Grand Rapids as one of Michigan’s lower-priced metro areas at that time. The comparison is an earlier snapshot, however, and does not establish current station rankings. The latest AAA numbers show how quickly the local picture has changed since then.

For commuters, the increase in regular gas can add to weekly household costs, especially for people with long drives or larger vehicles. Higher diesel prices can raise operating costs for delivery fleets, contractors, farmers, restaurants and service businesses. Those costs may also work their way into delivery charges, service prices or the cost of transporting goods, although the available data does not document specific local business reactions.

Weekend travelers and people attending events across the region may also notice the increase when filling up. The U.S. Energy Information Administration provides broader Midwest and national gasoline and diesel data that can help put local movements in context, but those figures are not a substitute for the Grand Rapids-area metro average.

Drivers comparing their own costs should check several nearby stations rather than assuming the metro average matches every pump. Share the highest and lowest prices you are seeing around Grand Rapids.

Sources

• AAA Michigan fuel-price table
• WKZO regional fuel-price report
• U.S. Energy Information Administration gasoline and diesel update