Despite Fuel Price Hikes, Clear Lane Freight Is Still the Lowest Nationwide LTL Option

After the supply chain problems that have endured since 2020 and through 2021, the freight sector has been hit with another unwelcome concern—high fuel prices. The ongoing war in Ukraine and the sanctions on Russian oil imposed by western nations have created a volatile fuel market that has driven up costs at the pump. While individual Americans have been shocked by the price they now pay to fill up their gas tanks, of greater concern to the economy at large is the high price of diesel. According to the American Trucking Associations, more than 70% of freight is transported via trucks, which means that diesel price hikes have a widespread effect on the price of goods of all kinds. [i] As of mid-March, diesel had jumped to a record high price of $5 per gallon, up from less than $4 per gallon in February. However, the crisis in Ukraine isn’t the only factor to blame for high diesel prices. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a loss of refining capacity worldwide, which is still affecting the supply of diesel. [ii] Concerns about having a sufficient supply of diesel to meet needs around the globe are leading analysts to suggest that diesel fuel prices could stay high even if the prices for oil and gas decline. While the connection between diesel prices and shipping is obvious—a change of a dollar or two per gallon adds up quickly for a vehicle that fuels up with 125 gallons or more—it also impacts every segment of the economy. Construction, machinery, farm equipment, and industrial processes also rely on diesel, which means that elevated diesel prices contribute to wider inflation.

Taking Care of Our Customers

At Clear Lane Freight, we understand the impact of shipping costs on business, particularly on smaller businesses needing to keep a sharp eye on expenses. Since we were founded in 2012, we’ve been focused on providing economy LTL service for customers who could exchange slightly longer transit times for more affordable rates. The heightened demand and capacity crunch that has characterized the freight market since the start of the pandemic have been challenging conditions under which to try to meet that commitment. In response, Clear Lane has innovated, built new partnerships, and leveraged our expertise and existing contracts to continue delivering the best possible solutions under current circumstances to our customers. In addition, we have reaffirmed our commitment to meeting our customers’ needs with responsive customer service. While our online self-service options provide access to features like tracking/tracing, document retrieval, requesting a rate quote, and more, our expanded dedicated customer service staff is on hand to answer any questions you might have or to assist with any concerns. We know that during times when transit, like many other facets of the economy, has become less predictable than usual, personalized service is essential for giving clients the insight they need to plan the process of moving their goods effectively. In the end, our primary goal is to help your bottom line. Clear Lane Freight remains focused on providing the lowest cost option for LTL freight for non-time-sensitive goods nationwide. We continue to use our expertise and connections to navigate the shifts in the freight industry and find advantages to use on behalf of our customers wherever we can find them. With distribution centers strategically located in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and California, we’re ideally positioned to offer flexible, economical solutions to businesses across the country. While Clear Lane Freight can’t control every factor contributing to the reduced capacity and rising costs affecting the industry, we do use every resource at our disposal to give our customers the lowest costs possible. We’re dedicated to providing the quality customer service and economical options you need to ship your goods with confidence. To find out more about how Clear Lane Freight can meet your non-time-sensitive LTL shipping needs, contact us here. [i] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-diesel-prices-trucking-industry/ [ii] https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/30/everyone-is-worried-about-gas-prices-but-diesel-is-driving-inflation-more-than-you-think.html