High diesel prices hard to sustain, will impact consumers, truckers say

BRIGHAM CITY — Checking the tire pressure at a rest stop along I-15, Ogden-based trucker Chris Flynn said every little bit of maintenance matters when you're trying to squeeze every mile per gallon possible out of the diesel tank.

"The larger carriers, they just try to run efficiently," he said. "I just try to be more efficient with what I do. You try not to idle the truck, you try to run it slow when you can. The slower you go, the more efficient the truck is."

He said larger companies like the one he works for are trying their best to negotiate fuel surcharges to offset the very high cost of diesel, which averages around $6.45 per gallon in Utah, according to estimates by AAA. But eventually, he said the cost will be passed on to the consumer.

"You will see prices go up everywhere because that's just going to get passed down," Flynn said.

Jimmy Byington, a Tennessee-based trucker, agrees.

"If the diesel keeps going up, we're going to have to charge more to haul freight," he said. "A lot of stuff is moved by trucks, and a lot of people don't realize that. Even the railroads, they move a lot of stuff too, but they use diesel also."

According to federal government statistics, anywhere from 70 to 80% of all goods are moved by truckers. Smaller companies and independent carriers are getting hit the hardest right now, because they have less power to negotiate their costs.

"It's really hard because, like, a truck payment is $3,000, (a) trailer is $1,000," Ram Biswa, a Cincinnati-based trucker, explained. "And a lot of money goes for the diesel. It's really hard for a lot of drivers."

Related:

Iran says it receives US response to latest proposal as Washington pulls out of Iraq

Iran said on Wednesday it had received a U.S. response to its latest proposal to resurrect the collapsed ceasefire in the Gulf, days after President Donald Trump said he had rejected ​it.

Flynn said that, similar to the fuel shortages of the 70s, he believes the problem stems directly from what's happening in the Middle East.

"When they put the memorandum of understanding through with Iran, diesel prices dropped immediately," he explained. "They've got to resolve that issue in the Middle East, however it needs to be done. And then things will go back to normal. Until then, it's just going to be like a pressure cooker."

Related topics