Update on things at my local oil company

[ThomWV]

I have posted before that I buy the fuel for my diesel truck at a small local oil company. It saves me about twenty cents per gallon compared to service station prices.

A couple of months ago one of the ladies behind the counter at their small office told me that many of their customers, who are primarily independent local truck drivers who do short haul, were behind on their bills and many would be cut off if they didn't pay up. These truckers haul crushed stone, coal, ag-lime, stuff like that, mostly within just a few miles of the source and rarely over a couple of hundred miles one way. These are local boys driving those tri-axle trucks. It is a major form of employment around here.

I was back in the office a couple of days ago. Indeed the majority of their customers have been unable to pay their bills. Sales have dropped dramatically, two of the four ladies who had worked there have been laid off.

Prices are high and the refiners and majors are doing just fine. The customers are being driven into bankruptcy and the small suppliers are being crushed in the middle.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. The tip of the iceberg

That's terrible. That's terrible for so many reasons, not the least of which is that we're just starting to experience the trickle-down effect of the hideous rises in oil prices. It's going to affect every aspect of our lives. Every single aspect.

And not one of the stories will have a happy ending.

[madokie]

2. about a year ago a 10 wheeler load of crusher run delivered here was 138 bucks

up from a hundred only a couple years before that so I could imagine what it would be today. I still have about half of my last load and am not looking forward to buying more when it runs out. I use it to keep ours and our sons drive ways in good shape and looking good.