Pleasanton is about 29 miles north of Saratoga.
California’s average diesel price has reached $8.21 per gallon, AAA reported, compared with a national average of $6.26. Some Bay Area prices are higher, including nearly $9 per gallon at a 76 station in Belmont.
The increase is affecting transportation, agriculture, construction and supply chains because diesel is widely used in those industries. Mark Woods, vice president of Fresno-based trucking company Wildwood Express, said a fuel bill reached $54,000 last week for a load that had cost approximately $25,000 to $30,000 three weeks before, even though the fuel volume was about the same.
Woods said the company might have to request higher customer payments to keep operating, and those costs could reach consumers through increased prices for everyday goods.
Doug Johnson, a spokesperson for AAA Northern California, attributed successive state highs to instability in global oil markets, including developments involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz and fighting between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen. Drivers often expect prices to fall after Labor Day as demand declines, but Johnson said that has not happened this year.