{"id":199861,"date":"2026-03-21T00:50:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-21T00:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/199861\/"},"modified":"2026-03-21T00:50:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-21T00:50:07","slug":"fuel-costs-continue-to-climb-putting-pressure-on-local-food-trucks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/199861\/","title":{"rendered":"Fuel costs continue to climb, putting pressure on local food trucks"},"content":{"rendered":"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Gas prices are continuing to rise following the start of the war in Iran. According to AAA<\/a>, the average price for a gallon of gas in Florida as of Friday is $3.95, with diesel at $5.38. Nationally, prices are up about 28 cents from last week.<\/p>\n

In Tallahassee, some stations are nearing $4 per gallon for gas, while diesel has climbed past $5. The increase is making it harder for people who rely on fuel to run their businesses, especially those constantly on the road.<\/p>\n

Tasha Pizarro, owner of Momma P\u2019s Ice Cream, says her truck makes multiple daily stops at schools, community centers, churches and parks – often traveling across Tallahassee more than once a day.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to be at two to three stops a day, and sometimes I can drive from north east Tallahassee over to FSU, and sometimes I do that twice a day,\u201d Pizarro said. <\/p>\n

Her truck takes about 40 gallons of diesel to fill, now costing more than $200 each time. With the busy season approaching, she says the timing couldn\u2019t be worse.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I go out less, then I make less, and so I can\u2019t really stop that. Again, raising prices, so it\u2019s really like what we did with COVID was taking it one day at a time,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

Pizarro says raising prices isn\u2019t an option, leaving few alternatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe money has to come from somewhere, so it can either come from raising my prices, which I refuse to do because people are only going to pay so much for a SpongeBob, so that\u2019s not going to happen. I could pay myself less, but we already have our family budget set, so that can\u2019t happen. The reality is less money gets put into our savings business account,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

More Tallahassee news:<\/p>\n

Pizarro isn\u2019t alone. Lee Powell, owner and operator of Kona Ice in central southwest Georgia, says he\u2019s also feeling the impact, even without raising prices.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo make ourselves feel a little bit better, we say fill it up when it\u2019s halfway full, that way it doesn\u2019t hurt so bad,\u201d Powell said. <\/p>\n

With peak season for ice cream and snow cones just around the corner, both owners say they\u2019re adjusting where they can.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have to keep going no matter what. What I have done to adjust is I\u2019ve tried to find places that I can go park and sit and let people come to me. That does save me some gas if I just sit still and say, \u201d Hey, you come to me. I\u2019ll be at this place from 2 to 3 today.\u2019”<\/p>\n

For now, business owners say they\u2019re taking it one day at a time as fuel costs continue to climb.<\/p>\n

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