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The national average price of diesel declined 1.1 cents to $2.832 per gallon, marking its sixth consecutive weekly decrease, the Department of Energy reported July 6.

WASHINGTON — American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves again told lawmakers that raising federal fuel taxes is the best approach for paying for infrastructure projects, a position congressional leaders charged with uncovering more funding reject.

Diesel’s national average retail price continued its recent string of increases, gaining 3.5 cents to $2.90 a gallon, the highest level in five weeks, the Department of Energy reported.

A federal court has scheduled a June 9 hearing to give potential final approval for a series of lawsuits in a long-running “hot fuel” case, after giving preliminary approval to settlements with 28 oil and fuel retailers.

The average price of U.S. retail diesel fell 6.8 cents a gallon for the final week of the year to $3.213, the U.S. Department of Energy said Dec. 29.

As shippers of everything from toys to tools enjoy as much as $24 billion in savings from lower diesel surcharges next year, trucking companies see an opening to raise freight rates at a pace not seen in about a decade.

Tom Petri (R-Wis.), the outgoing chairman of the subcommittee on highways, said he will become a co-sponsor of a bill that would increase federal fuel taxes to support the nation’s transportation system.