The national average for diesel hit $6.32 per gallon recently. This number is a stark jump from $3.69 a year ago. That is a rise of more than 70 percent. The surge beats the previous record set in June 2022. Back then, prices hit $5.81 under President Joe Biden. The war in Iran is pushing these costs higher now. Drivers say the pain is already here.
Suave Dorsett drives trucks for a living in Miami. He has been on the road for nine years. He told Fox News Digital that fuel prices are rising. But the rates he is paid are not rising. This gap is hurting his pockets badly. Dorsett saw diesel priced at $7.40 per gallon in Ohio. He says smaller companies will be the first to buckle. He predicts a domino effect that will spread across the industry.
Tyler Rinaldi is a trucker from Louisiana. He has about ten years of experience. He moves hazardous materials and other freight. He says his company has cut weekend routes. He noticed the changes slowly but clearly. Fewer routes mean less money for the workers. Rinaldi said this takes away from the pockets of people who work there. He is a father of two and sees the strain.
Avante Jackson has driven trucks for eleven years. He hauls steel and construction materials from North Carolina. He says rising diesel costs force drivers to look hard at their books. If all profit goes into the tank, nothing is left. Jackson warned that losing drivers could hit the community. He said it could eventually reach consumers at the store.
The American Transportation Research Institute tracks these costs. In 2022, fuel costs surged by 53.7 percent. Overall operating costs jumped 21.3 percent that year. The cost to move a mile hit $2.25. The current spike threatens to bring back that pressure. Smaller operators have less room to absorb the bills. They do not have large reserves to hide behind.
President Donald Trump says oil prices will fall like a stone. He expects the conflict in Iran to end soon. He called higher fuel prices a small price for security. Trump also pushed European countries to release fuel from stockpiles. The G7 agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil. This includes a substantial diesel release in the first twenty days. The goal is to ease pressure on global markets.
Truckers want the administration to remember the drivers. Jackson said drivers are the backbone of America. He asked the president to think about the little guys. They keep the country moving every single day. The money trail shows who pays for the surge. Drivers pay at the pump. Companies cut routes to save cash. Consumers may pay more later. The facts are clear and the pressure is mounting.