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Diesel at $6.48 per gallon pushes truck drivers to spend $3,500 a week on fuel, forcing some to quit
It’s safe to say that truck drivers around the country are feeling the impact of record-breaking diesel prices.
As of Sept. 19, diesel stood at $6.48 per gallon nationwide, according to AAA. And per GasBuddy, the highest prices can be found in Washington, Hawaii and California, the latter which has seen diesel top $8 per gallon.
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Diesel is needed to fuel trucks that transport food to your local supermarket, vehicles to out-of-state dealerships and your latest retail purchase to a local distribution center, plus much more. The American Trucking Associations estimates that trucks moved 73% of the nation’s freight by total weight in 2024.
However, high diesel prices — thanks in part to geopolitical conflicts like the U.S.-Iran war and the Russia-Ukraine War — can strain the supply chain and increase operating costs for logistics companies and freight operators. Ultimately, the prices consumers pay for goods also go up.
Some owner-operators are calling it quits
While the entire trucking industry is feeling the pinch, it’s possible that owner operators — drivers with their own trucks in business for themselves — are feeling it the most.
One owner operator, Yahathan, told WALB 10 News that he has cut down on loads because of the distances he has to travel. Owner-operators like himself have had to be extra careful about managing fuel spending of late.
“I feel that diesel for truck drivers, you know, it shouldn’t go up at a high rate because we make the world go ’round,” he said.
Vatissa Rhodes, whose weekly fuel bill has nearly doubled, said in an interview with ABC affiliate KATU 2 that she is contemplating selling her truck and working for someone else.
“I’m actually already looking to drive for another company to park my truck,” she said. “My paycheck has been cut maybe about a third.”
On cross-country trips, Rhodes would spend anywhere from $1,700 to $2,000 a week on fuel. Now, it’s at least $3,500, she told the outlet. She has been running her own business for six years, as a means to grow her savings and reinvest in her company. But the venture has instead landed her in debt, with each year being more difficult than the last.
Rhodes transports food in a refrigerated trailer, meaning she needs extra diesel fuel just to keep goods cold. While trucking contracts include a surcharge for fuel, she said they have not kept up with gas prices. Neither have the rates offered to transport freight.
“I know that the prices in the stores are going up, but we’re still not seeing an increase, so it’s hurting the drivers and the companies that are paying for the fuel,” she said.
How higher diesel prices impact consumers
Everyone is impacted by diesel prices over the long run. Diesel is not only used to transport items around the country, it’s also instrumental for farmers to operate machinery.
Higher fuel prices tighten margins for businesses across the entire supply chain, and at least some of that is passed down to the consumer in the form of higher grocery costs and delivery fees.
However, this can take a while to materialize, as the sticker shock is not as immediate as pulling up to a gas station and seeing the price per gallon has gone up since you last filled up.
And while drivers tend to respond to higher gas prices by driving less, doing the same with diesel is difficult because it’s used commercially across many industries. Even heating oil will become more expensive for homeowners across the northeast this winter. That’s because the price of heating oil tracks closely with diesel since both are made with the same ingredients.
As Tom Kloza, chief energy adviser for Gulf Oil, told CBS News, consumers should, “buckle up and recognize that inflation is likely to get turbocharged by these high prices for a product you probably don’t care much about, which is diesel fuel.”
“Everything that moves around the country and all crops are dependent on spending money on that fuel,” Kloza added.
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This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: Diesel at $6.48 per gallon pushes truck drivers to spend $3,500 a week on fuel, forcing some to quit
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
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