
Diesel Spike Pressures Small Truckers as Freight Boom Fades
Rising diesel prices—about 41% since the Iran-related conflict began to an average near $5.38 a gallon—are crushing cash flow for small owner-operators who pay the fuel bill and lack automatic surcharges, while many long-haul carriers shielded by contracts and hedging see steadier profits; with a post-pandemic oversupply and volatile spot rates, some independents are parking rigs as freight demand remains uncertain, even as a few survivors tighten budgets and push back on unprofitable loads.




