Skyrocketing Gas Prices Driving Up Costs For Everything Else
CAMBRIDGE (CBS) - Pizza delivery driver Brian Carlson can log sixty miles a day getting his orders to customers. But with gas prices skyrocketing, these days he's starting to lose his profits.
"I make money on tip and I immediately put it back in my gas tank," he said.
Massachusetts gas prices, fueled by unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, soared 17 cents in the past week. They're up 24 cents per gallon since the beginning of the year.
WBZ-TV's Beth Germano reports.
Brian Carlson already drives a compact car that now may not be small enough for his job.
"I'm stressed about it. I was thinking this morning I need a car that gets better gas mileage," he said.
He works for Big Daddy's Pizza in Brighton where they are trying to hold the line on their food prices, but feeling the pinch on the bottom line as well.
"Food prices go up when energy goes up," said owner Steve Weinstein.
The cost of items like lettuce, peppers and mushrooms have tripled since last summer, he said. Delivery invoices that were $18.00 a case are now as high as $52.00. Transportation costs are trickling down to the pepperoni pizza.
"No matter what you do you ask what can I put in my gas tank, what can I give to my family, and what do I have left over for a sub," he said.
On the road drivers say there's no consistency in prices from one station to another.
According to the American Automobile Association prices are fluctuating from a low of $3.14 to a high of $3.49.
Instead of the usual fill-up some are trying to cut corners.
"I'm not going to fill. Get 20-dollars worth and head out," said driver Christine Fitzgerald fueling at a Mobil station in Cambridge.
