Gas Prices Top $4 Per Gallon in Georgia, Squeezing Local Businesses

Georgia’s average gas price has climbed above $4 per gallon, according to AAA, marking a sharp increase of more than $1 from one year ago and delivering a fresh financial blow to businesses that rely heavily on fuel.

At one Atlanta gas station, the price for regular unleaded was already approaching $4.50 per gallon. For companies operating trucks, heavy machinery, and diesel-powered equipment, the rising costs are becoming unsustainable.

Lauren Jones of Tomahawk Tree Service said his company is now paying roughly 25 to 30 percent more for diesel per week.

“It’s affecting us for sure,” Jones said. “We’ve got probably 30 vehicles in our fleet — from the crane truck and log trucks all the way down to our chainsaws. We can’t sustain it for very much longer. It’s eaten away at our bottom line for sure.”

According to AAA, regular gasoline in metro Atlanta averages 40 cents more per gallon than just one week ago. Diesel prices are up 19 cents from last week and a staggering $1.64 from this time last year.

Clay Hicks, a truck supervisor at Gorman Construction Company, said his firm operates more than 200 pieces of heavy equipment. “We burn a lot of diesel fuel,” Hicks said. On some out-of-state jobs, diesel has reached $6 per gallon. While some costs can be passed on to clients, Hicks noted that existing contracts often force the company to absorb the increases.

“It’s hard to go back and change contracts,” he said. “It’s killing us.”

Georgia’s current regular gas average remains about 40 cents below the record highs seen in the summer of 2022, according to AAA.

Meanwhile, oil prices fell Tuesday amid growing hopes for a potential U.S.-Iran peace deal. President Donald Trump announced “Project Freedom,” a military effort to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz while negotiations continue. The president said Iran is reviewing a new U.S. proposal that would require Tehran to give up enriched uranium and stop operating underground nuclear facilities. Trump warned that if Iran does not agree to a deal, “the bombing would resume at a much higher level.”