Diesel prices pinching truckers and consumers

By Mollie Halpern
Investigative Reporter
Published: July 18, 2008

Filling up is emptying out Tony Dees’ checking account.

Escalating diesel fuel prices will soon force the trucker of 14 years to make a career change.

Dees says, “If it hit $5.00 I quit, it’s just that simple.“

We caught up with Dees during a run between Norfolk and Pulaski.  He says the trucking company pays him a flat fee of $840 to make the trip.  He must pay for his own diesel, which cost him $600.  That’s a profit of $240.

“We used to make $400-500 a load.  Now we’re down about $200.  Fuel is just outrageous,“ says Dees.

According to the American Trucking Associations, not only are truckers feeling the pinch, so are motor carrier companies.  The association says drivers wages used to be their top operating expense, but now it’s diesel fuel.

That cost is passed down to you, since the American Trucking Association says trucks move 100% of consumer goods.

Chris Tomlinson, a trucker for Karpinski trucking and produce says, “It effects everybody, it effects everybody.“  He says the company is raising the price of produce to offset diesel fuel expenses.  “Right now, I have a whole load of cantaloupes on, and that affects the cost of the cantalope,“ says Tomlinson.

The price of diesel, a load trucking companies and their drivers don’t want to carry.