Patrick De Han, head of oil analysis at GasBuddy, told Acesparks on Wednesday that a shortage of truck drivers was halting fuel deliveries in some areas. gas stations.
“It’s a labor problem. There’s no shortage of fuel,” De Haan said in the Powerful Lunch program, noting that refineries are “producing record highs of gasoline consumption this summer.” explained.
“The problem is that this is the last trip to get the petrol from the local terminal to the gas station and we are seeing a delay in delivery,” he said.
Temporary shortages were reported at gas stations southwestern Missouri, Columbus, Ohioand Located in eastern Iowa, according to local media reports.
According to National Tank Truck Carriers, the transportation industry is short-lived at least 50,000 drivers. De Han noted that this is a “brewing problem” accelerated by the Kovid pandemic after the sharp drop in gasoline demand since 2017.
Some companies have released truck drivers, while other drivers have retired early, De Haan said. Now gas station stocks are offering bonuses of $ 5,000 to $ 15,000 to prospective drivers, he said.
De Haan noted that the current fuel supply problems are different from the jump in pump prices in southeastern states such as Georgia and North Carolina last month and the rupture of the colonial pipeline, which was short of fuel at some stations.
In this case, De Haan argues, shipping-related fuel delivery days do not have a “significant” impact on gasoline prices. However, the level of oil production and “other aspects of this recovering economy” will lead to higher prices, he said.
The average for a normal gallon of gasoline currently $ 3,118 before the fourth July holiday, when tens of millions of Americans is expected to travel, reports AAA.
That was $ 3,045 per gallon a month ago. According to AAA, a year ago it cost $ 2,178 per gallon, while travel was still severely restricted due to Covid restrictions.
De Han points out that small petrol stations can be more difficult to navigate in today’s truck landscape than large chains.
“It’s the livelihood of the best people, and the trucks that deliver to third parties can be more profitable for them to go elsewhere and deliver petrol, so the fight with existing truck drivers continues like this,” De Haan said. . “Everyone is being deceived, and unfortunately, as the public’s demand for gasoline increases, it will become more difficult in the future.”
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