High gas prices hit the trucking industry

FARMINGTON, N.Y (WHEC) — The average cost of gas is now up to about $4.00 in New York. When you fill up your gas tank, chances are you’re not filling up as much in one-stop as a big rig truck might.

Those trucks usually drive for days at a time to make shipments, filling up twice the amount. Leonard’s Express, a local trucking company says this spike has been difficult to navigate.

"A situation like this week, is really when they jump up as fast as they do, our costs go up daily,” said Leonard’s Express CEO Ken Johnson.

Leonard’s Express has about 650 trucks, doing business across the country, primarily delivering refrigerated products. Johnson said that means they’re filling up twice as much.

"Not only do we fill the trucks but we have to keep the refrigeration units running the same diesel fuel,” Johnson said.

Johnson said navigating the rising costs of fuel is a challenge. The company advising its drivers not to wait until they’re on "E".

"Guiding our drivers to buy, go where they’re supposed to, to get the best prices. Earlier this week we sent out a new directive saying, wherever you are, make sure you stop for fuel top off because we think it’s going to go up.”

And, filling up at one place might look more expensive or cheaper depending on where you are. In this case, that’s countrywide. Johnson said it’s close to thousands of dollars.

"The transportation costs, different tax structures, we actually have people who help direct our drivers, it’s confusing for them because one exit might be different than the next exit just based off competition,” Johnson said

Johnson says almost everything is delivered by truck, so you can expect items across the board to go up, like in supermarkets. He said he’s seen wholesale prices go up about 70 to 80 cents in the last week.