BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 If you think filling up your car is expensive, imagine fueling a semi-truck and having a crew transporting your favorite goods.<\/p>\n
Johnny Olaguez, owner of Olaguez Inc., is going through his daily routine of filling up his truck. <\/p>\n
But these days, he says he can only afford to fill it halfway.<\/p>\n
What may come as a shock to many drivers is that $500 now only fills half of his tank.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went from spending $500 at the time, let\u2019s say it was $5 a gallon to now spending $800 to $850,\u201d Olaguez said. \u201cIt depends on where you fuel up and what the price is at any given day.\u201d<\/p>\n
To manage costs, Olaguez says he now caps his fill-ups at $500. <\/p>\n
But he says the rising price at the pump is just the beginning of a larger problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is affecting not only trucking companies and our jobs it\u2019s impacting industries across the board,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to AAA, gas prices in California are among the highest in the nation, reaching around $6 per gallon for regular fuel and closer to $7 for diesel.<\/p>\n
Olaguez says business has slowed down, and it\u2019s not just because of fuel.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cost of everything is going up,\u201d he explained. \u201cTo do an oil change, that\u2019s gone up. If you need road service, that\u2019s gone up. Parts have gone up.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also says the companies he delivers to are adding extra costs, creating even more pressure on drivers like him.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe issue with that is, a lot of the owner-operators and companies I work for I don\u2019t get paid for a month, sometimes two months,\u201d Olaguez said.<\/p>\n
That delay in payment, combined with rising expenses, is making it increasingly difficult for small trucking businesses to stay afloat.<\/p>\n
When asked what solutions he wants to see, Olaguez pointed to the need for action from lawmakers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to see our representatives sit down,\u201d he said. \u201cIt may not be impacting them directly, but it\u2019s impacting jobs we\u2019re seeing a lot of people cutting back on work.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, Olaguez says he\u2019s focused on staying on the road but with costs continuing to climb, he worries about what comes next for the industry.<\/p>\n
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