North Texas contractor feels squeeze as diesel prices up nearly $3 a gallon from last year
Chad Elder has been working with his hands for more than 30 years. He has owned and operated his contracting business, Texas Scenery Construction, since 1995.
And he loves it.
"I love doing that kind of work. I love bringing that closure when people say, 'Hey, can you find a solution to this?' I got the solution," said Elder.
But 2026 has been hard for the general contractor.
"I've been going through $500 a month on fuel. That's a lot of money," he said.
That's because Elder needs a diesel truck to get the job done. He hauls thousands of pounds of tools every day.
But diesel prices have skyrocketed this year, up almost $3 a gallon from last year.
"I'm having to pull from what Chad Elder needs every day. I've got to hit a certain mark every day; if I don't get it tomorrow, I've got to do double," he said.
Experts say relief may not be coming anytime soon.
"It's kind of the worst of all worlds for diesel fuel right now. Truthfully, I don't expect much to change, certainly the REST of this year and the first part of next year," said Bruce Bullock, director of the Maguire Institute, part of the SMU School of Business.
Bullock says the war in Iran and increased fighting in Ukraine have put a massive strain on global supply.
"It is all of the above. I would say the Middle East situation has a bigger impact than the Ukraine situation, but Ukraine is affecting the supply getting to market, or getting to the Russians, so they're having to buy it elsewhere," said Bullock.
And while the direct impact is being felt by people like Elder, filling up diesel trucks, higher costs affect everyone.
"The materials coming into the store, the prices went up on those because of this, and customers are complaining about the cost of, and I'm like the cost of food comes from diesel," said Elder.
"Everything that's in a store likely got there by a truck that was driven by diesel," said Bullock.
That means as fuel bills like Elder's continue to rise, consumers will likely pay for it one way or another.
