National Average Price for Regular Unleaded Current: $3.423; Month Ago: $3.288; Year Ago: $2.443. National Average Price for Diesel Current: $3.771; Month Ago: $3.574; Year Ago: $2.667.

A group of transportation and trucking stakeholders is calling on Congress to repeal the Federal Excise Tax (FET) on heavy-duty commercial vehicles. This century-old tax is impeding the deployment of cleaner, more environmentally friendly trucks on our nation's roads, according to a letter from the American Trucking Associations, American Truck Dealers, and Zero Emission Transportation Association sent to Congressional leadership. The heavy-duty excise tax was established in 1917 to defray the costs of World War I and today adds 12% to the cost of a new truck, creating a major disincentive for trucking fleets small and large to modernize their equipment and replace older tractors with new, low-emission power units. The FET can add more than $50,000 to the price of the latest low- or zero-emission vehicle, making these investments cost-prohibitive for smaller fleets. Over 90% of U.S. motor carriers operate six or fewer trucks. “If Congress is serious about safety, the environment and jobs, then repealing the FET should be front-burner," said ATA President and CEO Chris Spear. "It’s time to shelve this World War I era tax and starting putting the best equipment on our roads.”

Oil prices are approaching the highs of January, after a wider market rout spurred the worst February decline in half a decade. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies have concluded they will eradicate the oil surplus by September even as investors continue to weigh those comments against surging U.S. crude production. U.S. crude inventories fell by 2.62 million barrels last week, the Energy Information Administration said Wednesday. Analysts had forecast a gain of 3.25 million barrels, and only two of the 12 surveyed had expected a decline. America’s gasoline inventories also tumbled for a third week to the lowest level since late January, while distillate stockpiles contracted for a sixth straight week to the least since December. Click Read More below for additional information.