As fuel prices rise and fall, those making a living on the road say they've been hit hard

The price of stove oil is up dramatically across Newfoundland on Thursday.

Newfoundland and Labrador's Public Utilities Board increased the maximum price of stove oil by 15.25 cents per litre Thursday. In Labrador, the price was lowered by 16.42 cents per litre.

The change puts the price of stove oil between $2.04 and $2.09per litre on the Avalon Peninsula, while prices now range between $2.06 and $2.22 per litre in other parts of Newfoundland. The pricein Labrador ranges from $1.63to $2.21 per litre.

The prices of other fuels gasoline, diesel, and furnace oil all dropped Thursday. Furnace oil dropped almost five cents per litre, while gasoline dropped by just 0.1 cents per litre.

The maximum price for a self-serve litre of unleaded gas is now $1.82 per litre on the Avalon Peninsula. Prices range across the island from $1.845 in central Newfoundland, almost $1.88 on the Connaigre Peninsula, between $1.82 and $1.84 on the island's west coast and $1.85 on the north coast between Englee and St. Anthony.

Propane was the other fuel to increase, up 0.4 cents per litre.

I have to watch every single cost.- Chris Howlett

The price of diesel is down by more thanthree cents per litre across Newfoundland and Labrador, but the high price is still a major concern forChris Howlett of Akita Equipment and Auto Transport in St. John's.

The PUB lowered the maximum price of diesel by 3.3 cents per litre Thursday. Customers on the Avalon Peninsula will now pay $2.538 per litre, while prices in other areas of Newfoundland range from $2.54 per litre to as much as $2.64 per litre in the La Poile area.

WATCH|The CBC's Garrett Barry hits the road with Akita Equipment to see how fuel costs are affecting business:

Want to watch $2,500 disappear? Fill a transport truck

2 years ago

Duration 0:30

Filling an Akita Equipment transport truck's fuel tank costs about $2,500 today. The company doesn't know how much it will cost tomorrow.

That can add up quickly in the transport business, Howlettsaid Wednesday, and he's beenforced to look at the finances of every aspect of his business.

Putting 750 litres which he said will last about 16 hours on a busy day into one of his trucks Wednesday cost him around $1,800.

"Toronto is about 2,850 litres for a round trip to Ontario. So a round trip to Ontario, you would have to do that four times in order to complete a trip," he said.

"I have to watch every single cost, and every move that we make is where we're making our money right now. We just have to be very careful of what we're doing."

Fuel is far from the only rising cost forHowlett; his labour costs, equipment costs and insurance continueto increase.

He fears it will only make things worse for consumers, as just about everything coming into Newfoundland and Labrador comes from a ferry or transport truck.

"When you go to the grocery store and you fill up the cart and it costs you an extra, you know, $100 or $200 or $300 the car that you drive in, your jacket that you're wearing," he said.

"Everything we have in Newfoundland comes by truck, so it's getting affected, you know, greatfully."

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