Diesel Shortage Amid Soaring Prices: Truck Stops Resort To Rationing

Truck stops are resorting to rationing the number of gallons a hauler can get in a single purchase amid a growing diesel shortage as well as soaring prices in the United States, raising concerns about how the issues will affect the industry.

Some truck stop chains have opted to rationing in select operations in efforts to prevent supply from completely running out, Overdrive reported.

In a photo sent to the digital distributor by transportation owner-operator Tim Klaus, a sign from a Petro stop in Kingman, Arizona, reads, “Due to a national diesel shortage. Only 60 gallons maximum!”

Klaus said that reading the sign “blew my mind,” adding that while the industry experienced a fuel shortage in the 70s, “we didn’t get hit like that directly.”

Unlike Klaus, who has fueled up before truck stops started the rationing movement, other truckers found themselves lining up for their turn to fuel up. “It’s scary. The whole thing is getting out of hand,” Klaus said.

The Arizona Petro stop confirmed that it has had trouble keeping up with increasing demand. “We have to close our site two three times a day” since some drivers pumped between $800 or $900 of fuel from the station,” the truck stop explained.

A TravelCenters of America (TA) Petro corporate spokesperson also explained that “the fuel industry as a whole is experiencing shortages and TA is no exception.” The spokesperson added that depending on the truck stops’ location, some stops “may be limiting the amount of gallons per purchase.”

The gas industry’s struggles were further put into the spotlight following Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s statement to CNN’s “State of the Union” host Dana Bash Sunday that she hopes the average gas price in the country won’t climb to $4 per gallon soon.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) stated that regular gasoline prices as of Nov. 8 stood at $3.410, up from $3.390 per gallon on Nov. 1. On-Highway diesel fuel prices stood at $3.730 as of Nov. 8.

On the other hand, AAA data said regular gasoline was at $3.419, and diesel prices averaged at $3.642 nationally as of Nov. 9.

Besides the Petro Kingman station, below is a list of truck stops either out of diesel fuel or have started rationing diesel purchases as of Nov. 8:

• Petro Eloy, Arizona
• TA Tonopah, Arizona
• TA Willcox, Arizona
• TA Kingman, Arizona
• TA Holbrook, Arizona
• TA Santa Rosa, New Mexico
• TA Moriarty, New Mexico
• TA Gallup, New Mexico
• Petro North Las Vegas, Nevada
• TA Las Vegas, Nevada
• FJP Columbus, Ohio
• FJP London, Ohio
• FJP Chillicothe, Ohio
• FJP Circleville, Ohio