Breaking: Diesel Shortages Loom at U.S. Gas Stations
In Texas, gas stations are now posting "OUT" signs on diesel pumps.
In Orlando, Florida, one station has set diesel prices to $0.00, with pumps completely empty as of today.
High demand and rapid spikes in spot prices have made it difficult for local operators to restock in a timely manner.
Despite being the world’s largest exporter of diesel, multiple states across the U.S. are now experiencing dry fuel pumps.
Gas stations in California began displaying "Out of Diesel" notices starting Sunday.
The national average price has reached a record high of $6.31 per gallon.
While oil is often described as the lifeblood of industry and the backbone of the economy, it is diesel that resonates most with consumers.
Diesel powers most agricultural operations, the majority of mining activities, approximately 80% of freight transportation by weight in the United States, and roughly 80% of global trade.
When diesel prices rise, nearly every consumer good—from groceries to clothing—sees higher costs. Every transaction carries the imprint of diesel pricing.
The U.S. August PPI inflation rate of 5.4% was primarily driven by energy cost increases, not by consumer spending surges or economic overheating.
Former President Trump has downplayed any connection to Iran-related tensions, instead attributing the crisis to the Ukraine war—a burden he claims belongs to Biden, not himself.
While the conflict in Ukraine is relevant—Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have prompted Moscow to impose export bans on refined petroleum products—the combined impact has pushed global diesel and jet fuel inventories below levels seen at the outset of the war.
Trump’s deliberate distancing from the Middle East dimension of the supply shock reflects an unwillingness to acknowledge a broader geopolitical disruption affecting fuel availability, one with far-reaching implications beyond the Ukraine conflict.
His reluctance to address rising diesel prices stems from concern that voters may hold him and the Republican Party accountable at the ballot box—this explains why the president appears either indifferent or selectively blind to the issue.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1876551801772044/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.