Diesel is staying costly even as crude oil prices slip, which is bad news for truckers, farmers, and anyone buying goods that move by road.

• The gap between what crude costs and what diesel sells for is the widest in US history.
• Cheaper crude does not mean cheaper diesel, because refineries have to process it first.
• Refineries cannot flip production to diesel on demand, so supply stays tight.
• Shipping and storage bottlenecks keep diesel expensive on their own.
• A wide gap like this is a signal that finished fuel is scarce, not plentiful.

Outlook: Diesel should stay expensive until refining and shipping capacity catches up, keeping pressure on freight and food costs.