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Gas Prices Impact Small Business

The average price for one gallon of gas in Ohio last Friday was three dollars, 39 cents. Diesel fuel was 80 cents more. Both are likely higher by now.

AAA Ohio reports motorists are generally absorbing rising prices.
But some small businesses say the additional costs are causing them big trouble.

"It hurts. It's hurting the business, it's hurting morale. Nobody wants to work."

Brenda Bufford manages Midway Delivery Service. The company offices are on Cleveland's East Side. Their 33 independent contractor drivers carry merchandise to any point in Ohio.

To pay the higher fuel costs, some Midway drivers are dropping their health insurance. Bufford says many want to limit where they'll deliver.
Others want guaranteed payment, even IF customers later cancel orders. She says something's got to give.

"You can't keep raising prices - you'll price youself out of business. When drivers are making their living by this, you've gotta cut somewhere. Maybe try to buy a gallon of gas so you can make some money to put some food on the table, but any profit that you have is going to have to go back into the gas tank."

Midway Delivery Service says some of its drivers may even consider parking their trucks, until prices come down.

Rick Jackson, 90.3

Rick Jackson is a senior host and producer at Ideastream Public Media. He hosts the "Sound of Ideas" on WKSU and "NewsDepth" on WVIZ.