Trucking News · Multi-state · November 8, 2026

Waste Hauler Says Diesel Costs Limit Fleet Growth

Illustration: A clean semi and waste-transfer facility in the Mid-Atlantic, parked safely; no fuel-price display, company logos or identifiable workers. — Illustration for this story. Not a photo of a specific location.

Waste-hauling fleets are facing cost pressures beyond the diesel pump, according to JLT Trucking's account to WTOP. The Washington-area company grew from one truck more than 20 years ago to more than 100. Its vice president, Marc Shaener, says fuel-related expenses are limiting money available for growth.

The diesel figure in the story is explicitly dated. WTOP cites the U.S. Energy Information Administration's central Atlantic average of $6.49 a gallon as of Nov. 2, up $2.58 from a year earlier. It is not a current quote for a Nov. 8 fill-up or the price at every station in the region.

Tires and surcharges add to the calculation

Shaener told the station that the cost of a single tire had increased by $100. That is the company's reported experience with another petroleum-related expense, not a universal price increase established for every tire model or fleet purchase.

The company has turned to fuel surcharges to offset some costs. Shaener said only about half of its customer accounts allow those additional charges, leaving the company negotiating with the other half. The account concerns JLT's contracts and customers rather than a rule that applies across waste hauling.

For some customers, that could mean trash and recycling pickups dropping from four times a week to two. The conditional wording matters. WTOP describes a possible response to higher service prices, not an announced reduction affecting every JLT account.

A growth constraint, not a profit survey

Shaener says money lost to higher expenses cannot be invested in new facilities or technology. WTOP's examples include optical recognition at a recycling facility and monitoring systems for the trucking operation. The company links daily costs to longer-term investment decisions.

That account should not be generalized into a statement that every trucking company is losing money. The story notes that some larger trucking companies have reported strong profits despite higher fuel costs. Different operations and customer agreements can produce different outcomes.

The reported squeeze combines several moving parts: a dated regional fuel average, a company tire-cost example, customer permission for surcharges and possible changes in service demand. Keeping those categories separate is more useful than treating the pump price alone as the whole explanation.

FAQ

Is $6.49 a current Nov. 8 diesel quote?

No. It is the central Atlantic regional average for Nov. 2 cited by WTOP from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Later prices require a later observation.