Just like after Katrina. "We lost rigs so supply is down while demand increases" All while quarter after quarter of "record profits" give me a break.
Profits are projected as a percentage in a lot of cases. 10% of $1000 is $100. 10% of $10,000 is $1000. If the cost goes up so does profit, especially on fuel since when the cost of fuel rises, almost nobody changes their driving habits, thus people are still using roughly the same amount of fuel. On that note, people griping about the cost, yet I see few changes in driving habits. The streets are still very busy just before school, right before school lets out, then again from 1630 until 1800 (end of most folks' work day). Then from 1630 until 2000, the grocery store parking lot is totally packed. Daily. Sunday afternoons are just as bad. No wonder oil companies are raking in the dollars. Secondly, demand doesn't seem to have dropped any but apparently supply is down. So there you go.
"WE" can reduce the cost of fuel by changing our driving habits! But we won't because it's inconvenient (we, used collectively, I know there are a few exceptions).
Those of you who bought diesel powered vehicles get screwed and this includes the trucking industry. A while back I mentioned that UPS had changed a bunch of their local delivery vehicles, they were replacing aged trucks and buying new with gas engines. Now you see why. They saw some of this coming, and I suspected it too. Since everything we (as consumers) buy relies on a truck at some point, the cost of fuel is being absorbed by us (the consumers) in the form of goods and services costing a lot more.
I'm in kinda the same boat. In Jan I sold my Mustang to a dealer, made a decent amount of money on it. Didn't really need it since my antique was finally finished up and driving. In March a guy at the gas station made me an offer on the antique that I could not refuse and I sold it too. Ordered a new Mustang, not thinking that it'd be 4-5 months before it shows up, so I'm driving my old truck-2003 F250 diesel. Costs me $110/week in fuel and that's not going anywhere other'n back & forth to work. I've cut my driving way back. I haven't been fishing in several months, and generally with decent weather I'm on the water regardless of weather conditions. Crappie season is in full swing and my freezer is getting bare. Not planning on going to the races at all this year, fuel alone for one trip to and from the track is about $175, plus race fuel (which is cheap), and all the other expenses....I can't do it.
But the bright side. Even though fuel is up, the opportunity to invest & make a little money is out there.