Diesel hits a record

North Texas diesel prices have climbed to about $6.23 to $6.27 a gallon, an all-time high. At one I-20 truck stop, diesel was $6.25 on Tuesday.

“Diesel fuel prices have shot up to an all-time record high of between $6.23 and $6.27 per gallon.”

The jump was fast

Prices rose about 25 cents in one week. Truckers who were already paying nearly $1,000 to fill up are watching fuel take a bigger bite from each run.

Some drivers gamble

At the truck stop, some drivers said they could not afford a full tank. They were trying to buy just enough fuel to reach the next stop.

Concrete costs more

BJ Johnson of J Imperium Ready Mix buys diesel in bulk, but the spike still hits every part of his job, from hauling sand and rock to delivering concrete.

“We went from anywhere from December paying a little over $3 a gallon to just last week paying $5.70 a gallon.”

Stores may feel it

SMU economist Mike Davis warned that high diesel prices move through business costs. That can mean higher prices at the checkout counter.

“Higher prices can show up in inflation through business costs, then potentially what consumers pay at the check-out counter.”

Relief depends on oil

Davis said diesel will likely stay high until crude prices fall. That depends on global oil flows and conflicts that no local driver or business can control.

“The only real solution is to get crude oil prices back down.”