Pennsylvania Trucker Says Diesel Costs Are Squeezing His Business

Rising diesel costs are squeezing Buckwalter Trucking LLC as owner Lamar Buckwalter says weekly fuel expenses have climbed while hauling rates have not kept pace with the cost of operating a truck.

Pennsylvania's statewide diesel average was about $6.56 per gallon. Buckwalter said he uses mobile apps to compare fuel prices and adjusts his travel plans to find less expensive places to refuel.

His diesel bill for a typical weeklong round trip has risen sharply, he said. The third-generation trucker said nearly every cost of operating a truck has increased, but rates for hauling goods remain close to those his father received in the 1990s.

“They test the Jesus in me,” Buckwalter said of fuel prices. “They’re just ridiculously expensive.” He said higher prices consumers see in stores have not translated into higher compensation for truckers, and that fuel costs affect people beyond the trucking industry.