Diesel prices pushing near six dollars a gallon are forcing local fleet operators across the region to make tough choices just to keep their vehicles moving, and the strain is starting to reach customers.
Bradley Bays, owner of Bays Boys Trash Removal in Bedford, said diesel is about $2.25 a gallon higher than it was 12 months ago, which translates to roughly $600 a day more in spending. Fueling his fleet of 25 trucks now costs roughly $9,000 every week, and his drivers are tightening routes to minimize extra trips. The company recently sent customers a letter announcing a new fuel surcharge, which it plans to drop once diesel falls back below four dollars a gallon.
About 30 miles west in Roanoke, Abbott Bus Lines is feeling the same squeeze. Owner John Abbott said the charter bus company's diesel cost is more than $300,000 higher so far this year than at the same point last year. Abbott, whose grandfather started the company, is renegotiating rates and contracts with clients, but locked-in schedules make that difficult because trips are priced six to nine months in advance. Both companies hope fuel prices stabilize before additional costs land on the community.
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Source note: Star News TV · Nov 3, 2026 11:20 PM.
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