JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the U.S. and Israel’s conflict with Iran stretches into its third week, drivers across Northeast Florida are still feeling it at the pump.
Some gas stations in the area have already crossed the four-dollar mark, pushing fuel costs higher for both commuters and local businesses.
For moving companies, the spike is hitting especially hard.
At Helping Hand Movers, crews are still out on the job, loading trucks and helping customers move across Jacksonville. But behind the scenes, the cost to operate is climbing quickly.
Owner Jimmy Hamilton said he has not raised prices just yet, choosing instead to absorb the impact.
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“At this point, I haven’t increased my prices, trying to absorb some of the impact along with the community so that we can have some type of normalcy still in our lives,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton has trucks that run on both regular gas and diesel fuel, and he says what used to cost about $50 a day in fuel has jumped to around $75, with multiple trucks running each day.
The price to fill up one of the company’s larger, 26-foot trucks has also surged, going from about $180 to more than $260.
With four to five trucks on the road, those increases add up fast.
Hamilton said he is trying to hold the line for customers, but that may not last if prices keep rising.
“We basically are trying to absorb what we can until that point, we have to make the change. If prices don’t come back down, we will have to figure out how to add a fuel surcharge or increase the hourly rate,” Hamilton said.
For now, the company continues operating as usual, but the pressure from rising fuel costs is building.
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