Desperate truckers reveal they’re ‘barely getting by’ amid rocketing diesel prices that hit $5.312

Desperate truck drivers have exposed the pressures of skyrocketing fuel prices, while suppliers warned that “some cities could be dry for a few days.”

Diesel per gallon rose nearly $2.00 with prices moving from $3,634 to $5,312 in the past year.

However, gas prices have seen a much-needed drop to $3,758 a gallon this week, but were still up $0.356 from last year’s $3,402.

According to the American Trucking Association the trucking industry carried 72.2 percent of all freight shipped to the United States in 2021, representing 10.93 billion tons.

In the same year, the $875.5 billion freight industry accounted for 80.8 percent of the country’s freight bill.

The association registered 38.9 million trucks used for business purposes in 2020, excluding government and agriculture, representing 24.1 percent of all registered trucks.

While in the same year 44.8 billion gallons of fuel were consumed by those trucks, 35.8 billion gallons of diesel fuel and 9.0 billion gallons of gasoline.

For this reason, truck drivers have expressed fear, telling: Fox news rising fuel prices mean they are ‘working for peanuts’.

One driver said: ‘Literally it costs my company 30 or 40 percent of the cost for fuel.

Another said: ‘The diesel prices are very high at the moment, it is more difficult for companies to monetize the high prices.

“Besides, rates have come down, so you’re not really making the money you made until you’re barely getting by now.”

According to figures calculated by Indeed the average salary for a truck driver in the United States is $71,207 per year.

Company team drivers typically get $0.48 – $0.75 per mile to 6,000 miles per week, estimated at $3,154 per week.

Solo drivers of the company will see $0.40 – $0.64 per mile up to 3,000 miles per week, averaging about $1,183 per week.

While owner-operator drivers see an average of $0.94 – $1.79 per mile to 3,000 miles per week, with an estimated average of $3,163 per week.

One driver commented that they would have to drive further to see any benefit from an average day, as fuel prices have contributed to higher operating costs.

“We have to drive more than we usually drive, about 400, 500 miles a day, so we can make a little bit of money. We [now] must drive about 600 miles,’ he said.

About 800,000 drivers leave the profession every year, according to WCPO while experts said rising diesel prices could drive out more drivers.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that the US had only 25 days of spare diesel on October 14, a low since 2008.

The Biden administration said it was closely monitoring diesel stocks and was working to increase stocks after news that the reserves had been depleted.

A White House official told Fox news that the government is closely monitoring diesel supplies, especially on the East Coast, and is in contact with US energy companies about the need to build up reserves and seek solutions.

The official added that the administration has also been in regular contact with East Coast governors for months and has tools at its disposal, including the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve (NEHHOR).

Mansfield Energy, the supplier, led by CEO Michael Mansfield, issued the advice to ensure companies are prepared.

Companies dependent on the fuel have been told to take measures to avoid the potential shortage of supplies usually caused by Russia cutting imports.

This means that companies do not receive the large number of petroleum products that they were before the invasion of Ukraine.

It has had an impact on refineries as they have had to shift production of gasoline to make some diesel. This means that they can almost run out of gas.

The diesel shortage is also caused by high demand for distillate (fuel oil and diesel), refinery maintenance and lower refining capacity.

Companies can protect their fuel supply and reduce the risk of outages by issuing emergency fleet cards.

These provide traceable access to fuel. They can also use a small tank for emergency fuel.

Mansfield Energy reassured consumers that gas stations will usually find supplies and continue to operate.

It added that for this reason, it is unlikely that gas stations will have bags over the pumps and that the ongoing main impact is likely to be higher prices for customers.

It comes as Biden considers restricting US fuel exports to lower prices and restore stocks.

But this is an idea not supported by refineries. They have said that this measure would likely lower inventory levels.

The refineries added that it would reduce domestic refining capacity and put pressure on consumer fuel prices and alienate US allies during the war in Ukraine.