‘We make the world go ‘round.’ Truck drivers feel the pain of rising diesel prices, spending upwards of $3,500 per week

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.