Truckers feel impact of diesel prices, as potential fuel shortage looms

ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - “You gotta do what you gotta do to survive, the best way you know how,” said Daryl Dozar, who has been a truck driver for 15 years.

Surviving. That’s what some truckers continue to do every day.

“I’ve seen fuel prices when I started out, a dollar something a gallon and we were squalling even back then. Now 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 dollars a gallon, it’s ludicrous, it’s out of hand, it’s going to drive the trucking industry out,” said Bart Costi, who has been a truck driver for decades.

Now the threat of a potential diesel shortage might become an added strain on drivers. Pilot Flying-J and Love’s said there are diesel supply issues, and the companies are monitoring the situation. Several trade publications say diesel supplies on the East coast are now at the lowest in almost 20 years.

“It makes us nervous,” said Costi.

“It’s kind of hard right now, it’s really putting a barren on everybody’s pockets,” said Dozar.

Dozar is an owner-operator, which is a part of the industry that’s been hit even harder by these challenges.

“A company got a variety of trucks, so they have a bigger budget. An owner-op everything, insurance, fuel, anything you do with your truck you gotta pay out of pocket, so it’s really hard on an owner-op, it really is,” said Dozar.

The truckers feel prices and a potential fuel shortage will not only impact them, but the general public as well.

“That’s what saddens me, that’s what hurts my heart is we’re out here working every day to survive, make a living for you, for your families but how are we going to do that with this going on,” said Costi.

A feeling of hope is still on truckers’ minds, as they look for some relief sooner rather than later.

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