Diesel prices in Clay County top $5.49, squeezing truck drivers and consumers

CLAY COUNTY, Mo. — KSHB 41 News reporter Lauren Schwentker covers stories in the Northland, including in Clay and Platte counties. Have a story idea? Send her an email.

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Diesel prices in the Kansas City area are sitting at $5.49 or higher, and the impact is being felt by truck drivers and consumers.

Diesel is the lifeblood of the supply chain, and for truck drivers like Dorothy McKenzie, the cost of filling up hits her paycheck directly.

"The fuel cost is ridiculous, it's too high," McKenzie said.

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McKenzie, who was traveling from South Carolina and stopping in Kansas City, said a full fill up adds up fast.

"You spend almost $1,400 if you do both drums," McKenzie said.

She was hauling materials for a construction site at the time.

"Right now, I'm about to transfer some boards for a construction site," McKenzie said.

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She said those higher fuel costs get passed along to the price of the boards, and ultimately to the consumer.

"If these prices don't go down, it's going to be hard to bring the goods anywhere," McKenzie said.

Federal data shows diesel fuel prices jumped 24.1% in August, accounting for over a third of the increase in the final demand of goods.

A supply chain company representative KSHB 41 reporter Lauren Schwentker talked to said the costs are significant for fleet operators as well.

"We're paying $900 a month per vehicle," Ricky said.

Residents in Gladstone said the rising prices are changing the way they shop. Del Peterson said the effects show up everywhere.

"Every time you go to the grocery store or anywhere else it affects you, everything goes up," Peterson said.

Peterson said he has had to make sacrifices to stay within his budget.

"I skip a lot. I don't go out to eat anymore, and I only get $25 at a time at the gas station," Peterson said.

Truck drivers said the situation is taking a broader toll.

"These prices are affecting us emotionally, physically and mentally," McKenzie said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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