Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - While many in Western New York have been hit hard at the gas pumps since the start of the war in Iran, perhaps no one is feeling the effects of the conflict more than local truck drivers.
As of Wednesday, the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel at the pump is $5.24, according to AAA of Western and Central New York. That is up an astounding $1.26 from just a month ago in the Buffalo-Niagara region.
For a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, the current average price at the pump is $3.68 a gallon, which is up $0.69 from last month.
"It's just something that always happens, they fluctuate, non-stop," said local truck driver Matt from Blasdell. "This war doesn't help. That's why it's going up right now, it's because of the war."
Matt Darlak from Clarence put in $100 worth of diesel fuel into the tank on his truck Wednesday morning, and it didn't even fill it up halfway.
"It's crazy. The jump has been very extreme, very quickly," Darlak said. "I'm not a truck driver, I'm a construction worker, but it all flows the same. So the cost of diesel goes up, everything goes up. Got to have trucks to go places."
As for Makiah from West Seneca, he admits the fact prices are spiking as much as they have a bit scary.
"Now my boss is yelling at me to turn the truck off, no wasting diesel," Makiah said. "I have ADHD, so when I'm missing turns, missing turns is not good. So he got me a phone mount for that, but hopefully they go down soon."
The impact of rising diesel fuel prices for truckers has certainly been felt for a number of businesses.
"The rates of what we get paid to haul these loads doesn't change when the fuel prices change. So just because the fuel prices change don't mean our rates are going up any," Matt said. "That's just taking out of the profits of the company."
Darlak says the rise in prices at the pump affects his work overall.
"I mean, you're not taking that extra trip to get more work in, because it's diesel costs. You've just got to be smarter about what you're doing. Everything goes up," he said. "We do concrete, so concrete goes up because they've got to drive it there."
"Definitely a lot of the stress of being on the road, and then if there's traffic, the long drives, all that money is definitely adding up, and it's gonna be hard for businesses to make a profit," Makiah added.
While many truck drivers are obligated to continue their business, regardless of prices of diesel fuel, they are hoping this gets sorted out soon and relief is on its way.
"Figure it out so people can afford things. That's really it. It's that simple," Darlak said. "Things are going to get so expensive where no one's going to be able to afford things. So you've got to find a way to get them down somehow."
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