Rising fuel costs are putting added pressure on drivers in Fresno and across the country, forcing some residents to limit travel and prompting local nonprofits to grapple with higher operating expenses as demand for assistance grows.<\/p>\n
One Fresno resident said higher gas prices have significantly restricted daily activities.<\/p>\n
“I can’t go anywhere. I only pick up my grandkids from school and come back home because I have to save the gas for the whole week,” the resident said.<\/p>\n
The frustration is shared by other drivers as they cope with increasing costs at the pump.<\/p>\n
“We’re having to run around and find good prices because it’s ridiculous. They keep going up,” Fresno driver Luis Lopez said.<\/p>\n
According to GasBuddy, drivers nationwide are paying an average of 17 cents more for gasoline than they were a week ago. In Fresno, AAA reported that the highest average gas price last year was $4.61 per gallon. This week, prices in the city are running between about $1 and nearly $2 higher.<\/p>\n
The impact extends beyond individual drivers.<\/p>\n
“We are a food logistics company. A significant amount of our business revolves around trucking and transportation. So, in the last two months, our fuel costs have doubled,” said Kym Dildine, co-CEO of the Central California Food Bank.<\/p>\n
The Central California Food Bank serves hundreds of thousands of people each month. As fuel prices have increased, grocery costs have also risen, officials said, contributing to growing demand for assistance throughout the Valley.<\/p>\n
“They’re making really tough choices: ‘Do I fill up my car with gas, or do I buy my food?” Dildine said.<\/p>\n
The Rescue Mission of Fresno is also reporting increased demand for services, along with a broader range of socioeconomic groups seeking help.<\/p>\n
At the same time, some people who provide assistance in their communities say they are being forced to cut back because of higher fuel costs.<\/p>\n
“It’s getting to the point where we’re limiting ourselves, how far we go. We do a community service for the church, and even for us, it’s getting difficult,” Lopez said.<\/p>\n
Despite the challenges, drivers say many expenses remain unavoidable.<\/p>\n
“We have to struggle. We just have to pay the price for the gas, because you’ve got to go to work. Kids have got to go to school. And you have to go buy groceries. We just have to struggle until the prices go down,” one resident said.<\/p>\n
The rising costs come as diesel prices continue to climb and remain higher than gasoline prices. While lower diesel costs have offered some relief for truck drivers in the past, many now say they see little escape from increasing fuel expenses.<\/p>\n
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