Gasoline use declined in California during the first quarter of the year, but the numbers still show there's promising news about the state's economy.
California's Board of Equalization tracks fuel consumption; the agency collects taxes on every gallon sold.
The Board's Anita Gore says gasoline usage fell 1 percent from the first quarter of last year to the first quarter of this year. Gore says that things were much better for diesel fuel sales, and that the tenth of a percent decline is minimal compared to the sharp quarterly declines over the past two years.
Gore says diesel sales averaged declines of just over 9 percent during a recent six-quarter stretch. She says that makes no change relevant.
"There was no growth and there was no decline, but at least there was use of diesel fuel which means that goods are moving again," she said.
Gore says when diesel fuel sells, that means truckers are moving consumer goods to markets around the state. She says it is a sign that the economy is starting to gain momentum
