Hate your gas bill? Trucker's fill-up in Mebane costs almost $1,000

MEBANE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Taraus Thomas' fill-up came to nearly $1,000 at the pump Wednesday night in Mebane.

He drives trucks out of South Carolina.

"Things will get better I guess," Thomas said. "Just need to get the product where it needs to go that's number one."

More than $5 a gallon for diesel is what truckers and their companies are facing across the country.

Experts said it's hard to predict when prices will drop across the board.

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"It really just depends on when the world market decides that fuel isn't worth $112 a barrel," said Gary Harris, executive director of the North Carolina Petroleum Marketers Association.

He said the increased cost of crude and credit card fees are the two variables he's looking at.

"When you buy, and most people buy gasoline with credit cards, at $1.79 a gallon you're paying 2.5% but at $4.12 you're still paying 2.5% which is a lot more percentage-wise than you would at a lower cost of fuel a year ago," he said

His retailers also don't make more money when gas prices are higher.

He said they prefer things to be cheaper. They can sell more and the competition in the marketplace is less stressful.

"When I look at these prices, it's like 'come on, man,' said Alexander Perry, who is a driver from Henderson. "I've got to do good loads because if I don't, I don't make any money."

Perry, who paid $5.55 a gallon for diesel in Mebane, is in the process of buying the truck for himself.

If he goes over what a company gives him for fuel, he has to pay the difference out of his own pocket.

"It makes me want to stay out of the mountains because the mountains is where you burn a lot of fuel especially if you're heavy," Perry said.