Diesel prices keep climbing in California, squeezing Bakersfield drivers and truckers

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Diesel prices have continued to climb across California over the past week, and drivers and trucking companies in Bakersfield are feeling the impact.

Stuart Heisler an oil expert with Anacapa Engineering and Design said, “You know we’re just going to keep seeing high prices until these wars end. And we get the world prices back down.”

According to AAA, a gallon of diesel in Bakersfield was going for $8.11 on Wednesday.

Diesel prices keep climbing in California, squeezing Bakersfield drivers and truckers (KBAK/KBFX)

That was up from $7.68 this time last week, a 43-cent increase.

Bakersfield local Craig Powers said the higher prices are changing how he gets around and adding costs.

“Well, it just makes it harder to go anywhere. I just don’t drive. It doesn’t cut my business down. I mean I still do business, but it just makes it more expensive,” Powers said.

For local trucking companies, the rising cost of diesel is adding pressure to the cost of doing business and is also affecting drivers and consumers, according to Brianna Bambrough of FBT Inc., a local trucking company.

“Because not only is it affecting, you know, us filling up our trucks, it’s now going down to the consumers, and our drivers are like ‘Hey I can’t afford this.’ So now we have to pay our drivers more,” Bambrough said.

Diesel prices keep climbing in California, squeezing Bakersfield drivers and truckers (KBAK/KBFX)

Bambrough said the higher fuel costs can ripple through the supply chain.

“It’s a circle of life honestly because it hits us then it goes to the grocery chains, and the grocery chains they have to raise their prices so then now it goes down to the customers and then they can’t afford it,” she said.

Diesel is also used for refrigerated transport.

A reefer trailer is essentially a refrigerator attached to trucks to help keep items such as produce and pharmaceutical supplies at a cool temperature.

Diesel prices keep climbing in California, squeezing Bakersfield drivers and truckers (KBAK/KBFX)

“In a reefer you have to have it running at all times. Well with that it’s an engine, and the engine needs diesel to run,” Bambrough said.