A provincewide diesel shortage is causing headaches for Central Alberta trucking companies as they search far and wide for fuel while trying to maintain customer service.
Since the problem began several weeks ago due to a shortage of hydrogen sulphide at Petro-Canada’s Edmonton refinery and an explosion at a refinery in Regina last month, truckers are doing what they can to keep the goods rolling to customers.
But it hasn’t been so easy.
John Langelaar, owner of Langelaar Transport Ltd. in Red Deer, said he’s been encouraging his drivers to fuel up as soon as their tank dips down to the halfway mark, or even before that.
“There are places where they are limiting to 300 litres a day,” said Langelaar, whose company transports general maintenance.
“That doesn’t get you very far — 300 km and that’s it.”
Drivers are wasting more time because they have to fill up more often, he added.
In one instance, one of his drivers had to wait nine hours before he could fill up at one location.
Doug Sawyer, who runs a cow/calf operation near Pine Lake, said the lack of diesel is forcing transport companies to pass on their costs to customers like him. He can’t blame them for that.
“Our costs are skyrocketing because the cost of fuel is so high,” said Sawyer on Monday.
But otherwise, it hasn’t affected his business.
“We have been able to get our feed moved around,” he said.
Gerard Vos, whose father owns Bles-Wold Dairy products near Lacombe, said they haven’t seen any disruption yet from trucks that pick up milk at their business.
“They pick up in the range of 8,000 litres every time they’re here,” Vos said. “If we had to throw out that milk, that would result in a huge impact.”
Mike Rogal, manager of B&R Eckel’s daily freight company in Red Deer, said they’ve been coping with the shortage in Central Alberta, but it’s been tougher in Edmonton and Northern Alberta where drivers are having to “run all over the place.”
“It’s not as bad as it was two or three years ago when we were having to run out to Delburne and Olds trying to get fuel,” said Rogal, regarding Red Deer operations. “We’re coping with it in Red Deer. It’s not putting us in a predicament at this stage.”
Ed McCoy, vice-president of petroleum for the United Farmers of Alberta, said they began restricting seven to 10 days ago on how much diesel they can sell at their cardlock sites around Alberta. That way, they can keep enough for their members as well as for emergency service providers like ambulances that use their sites.
McCoy said he understands the hydrogen sulphide issue has been remedied in Edmonton. But he anticipates it may take weeks before supply levels will come back to normal.
ltester@www.reddeeradvocate.com