Small businesses expected to feel pinch as diesel hits $6 a gallon

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – An Illinois trucking industry leader says consumers and small businesses can expect to feel the pinch as the price of diesel fuel rises across the state.

AAA listed the average price for diesel in Illinois at $6 per gallon on Monday, up from $3.55 one year ago. The national average for diesel on Monday was $5.64 per gallon.

Illinois Trucking Association Executive Director Matthew Hart said labor is typically the number one cost in the trucking industry, followed by fuel cost.

“If it costs us more to get your stuff to the store, ultimately it’s going to cost consumers more when they show up at the store and have to pay more to get their stuff there,” Hart told The Center Square.

The average price for diesel in the city of Chicago was $6.27 on Monday.

Mayor Brandon Johnson kicked off National Small Business Week at a bridal shop in the city’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

“At the heart of our communities, our small businesses are truly the backbone,” Johnson said.

Hart said, in his industry, small businesses will be most impacted by the surging fuel prices.

“If they don’t have a fuel surcharge in place, that really is going to pinch a lot of guys in the short term, especially small mom-and-pop trucking companies,” Hart said.

Statehouse Republicans have proposed pausing Illinois’ annual fuel tax increases or at least pausing the sales tax on the gas tax.

Hart said the state has nearly $7 billion in the state’s road fund.

“We have to make sure we protect the infrastructure that we have in place and the road improvements that we need, but also when you have things like sales tax on motor fuel and the basis has shot up so much, then I think it’s worth taking a look at,” Hart said.

Illinois’ diesel tax is scheduled to rise July 1 from 55.8 cents per gallon to 57.1 cents per gallon.

The state’s tax on gasoline is scheduled to rise from 48.3 cents per gallon to 49.6 on July 1.