Diesel appears to be in good supply, gasoline lines long
Pilot said its closed Texas locations will have plenty of gas and diesel when they reopen.
The Trucker Staff
9/12/2008
It appeared Friday night that there was an ample supply of diesel available throughout the U.S. unlike the situation with gasoline that saw consumers flock to the pumps to fill up after some supply lines were shut off because of Hurricane Ike.
A check with the major travel centers and truck stops did not reveal any diesel shortages. All said they were ready to re-open as soon as it is safe. Authorities expect the winds to be out of the Houston area by late Saturday afternoon, but how much of the area would be without power remained a big question.
Each company did close several locations in southeast Texas as Ike neared landfall.
Pilot said all of its closed locations have an ample inventory on both gas and diesel and will be ready to serve customers as soon as they re-open.
“We have a team of transport drivers and trucks ready to move into the area to continue the fuel deliveries to the travel centers when evacuation orders have lifted,” the company said on its Web site.
Flying J said some of its centers might experience a shortage and said truckers should check its Web site at www.flyingj.com centers that might be running low.
Long lines could be found a many gas stations across the nation, and especially in the southeast and southwest where prices jumped by as much as $1 a gallon.
In Arkansas, Gov. Mike Beebe declared a state of emergency in an effort to curb price gouging.
Beebe's disaster declaration triggers the state law on price gouging, which prohibits businesses from raising their costs by more than 10 percent in an emergency.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel is asking Arkansas consumers to e-mail or text any evidence of price gouging at gas pumps because of Hurricane Ike.
Arkansas is among the areas expected to be pounded by rainfall and high winds as Ike moves northeastward through the day Saturday and Sunday.
Governors in North Carolina and Kentucky signed similar orders.
In South Carolina — where gas prices increased about 20 cents a gallon on average Friday — Attorney General Henry McMaster said gas stations that price gouge would face criminal prosecution. He did not set a threshold, saying each case must be investigated separately to see whether prices were raised to an "unconscionable" level.
All major travel centers companies are posting updates on their Web sites.