While we saw a decrease in diesel fuel for a few weeks, they have begun increasing and reaching $5.00 a gallon in some places. Fuel prices are now the top concern in the trucking industry. The Energy Administration states that the United States has a 25-diesel fuel reserve which is the lowest since 2008.
The diesel shortage does not only affect the trucking industry and owner-operators. But farmers can see the effects of the diesel shortage who are trying to harvest crops. The longer these prices stay high and continue to increase, the more it will affect everyone else as well as the cost of other items.
The United States is already dealing with inflation and with the diesel shortage, these numbers can continue to increase. In the trucking industry, customers are looking at ways to help reduce their rates. Small trucking carriers and owner-operators who are having to continue to secure basicness are beginning to struggle.
Owner-Operators and smaller trucking carriers do not have the option to pass the fuel cost on to the customers like other larger carriers such as Landstar. Instead, the owner-operators will feel the effects from the shortage.
The winter months and holiday season is quickly approaching and the shortage will affect many of us.