Newark Gas Prices Ease as Diesel Climbs Above $5.50

Regular gasoline edged lower Wednesday in the Newark metro, while diesel moved higher and remained above $5.50 a gallon. AAA’s July 29 price check listed regular gas at $4.194 per gallon, down 1.3 cents from Tuesday. Diesel reached $5.561, up 3.9 cents from the previous day.

The opposite movements offer limited relief for gasoline drivers. Newark’s regular-gas average was still 4.7 cents higher than a week earlier, 24.6 cents above the month-ago average and $1.099 higher than the same period last year.

Diesel costs continue to build

Diesel’s increases were broader across every comparison window listed by AAA. The Newark metro average was 15.6 cents higher than a week earlier, 55.6 cents above the month-ago price and $1.792 higher than a year ago.

That matters beyond commercial trucking. Delivery companies, contractors, landscapers, restaurants receiving regular shipments and service businesses that operate work vans or heavier vehicles may face higher operating costs when diesel remains elevated. Those costs can affect route planning, delivery charges and the price of work that depends on fuel-intensive equipment, although the available price data does not document how individual Newark businesses are responding.

Street prices vary by station

AAA’s Newark figures are metro averages, not prices at every pump. A 7-Eleven at 645 McCarter Highway listed regular gasoline at $4.099 and diesel at $5.499, with the station noting that its fuel prices had been updated within 24 hours.

That station-level listing shows why drivers may find prices that differ from the regional average. Checking more than one location before filling up can make a meaningful difference, especially for drivers with larger tanks or businesses fueling multiple vehicles.

Turnpike and Parkway prices are higher

Motorists using New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway service areas faced separate prices on July 29. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority listed regular gasoline at $4.269 and diesel at $5.859 at Sunoco stations on those facilities.

Those prices are a travel reference for drivers using the toll roads, not an ordinary Newark street-station average. The authority says service-area gasoline prices can be adjusted up to three times a week based on a survey of prices elsewhere in New Jersey.

For Newark commuters, the latest picture is mixed: regular gas is slightly cheaper than Tuesday but remains well above last year’s level, while diesel continues to rise across the short- and long-term comparisons. Share the highest and lowest pump prices you are seeing in Newark.

Sources

• AAA Newark Metro Fuel-Price Table
• 7-Eleven, 645 McCarter Highway
• New Jersey Turnpike Authority Fuel Prices