THE sharp spike in fuel prices due to the global energy crisis is driving many owners of diesel vehicles in Johor to cut back on travelling.
Among them is cafe owner Ener Gan, who tries to reduce commuting as much as possible by planning his trips.
“Since I run a cafe, I need to drive around a lot, mainly to restock.
“I cannot cut down on travelling altogether, but I make the most of each trip.
“For instance, instead of making two or three trips to buy different items, I now try to do it all at one go by making multiple stops during each trip,” he said when met.
Gan, who drives a diesel-powered four-wheel-drive, now spends between RM300 and RM470 a week on fuel alone.
“It is a significant spike as I used to spend around RM200 for the same amount of fuel,” he said, adding that he hoped the global situation would improve soon.
Echoing a similar sentiment was smallholder Ab Jalil Sahlan who said rising diesel prices had forced him to rethink how he transported his harvests.
“Previously, I would spend about RM40 for a single trip, but now it has gone up to RM85, which is a very significant increase.
“Now, I will ensure that my lorry is fully loaded with up to six tonnes of oil palm fruits for every trip, instead of carrying a smaller volume like before,” he said.
He lamented that the sharp spike in fuel prices had wiped out a significant percentage of profits that he used to make from each journey.
“Previously, I could make around RM200 per trip, but now there is no profit at all. I just break even,” he added.
Ab Jalil said rising costs went beyond fuel, with maintenance expenses climbing significantly too.
“Filling up my lorry’s tank used to cost about RM250, but now it is close to RM500, while the price of a single lorry tyre has increased from RM400 to RM600.
“I would normally replace all six tyres of my lorry once every year for RM2,000, but now it costs me around RM3,000,” he said.
Ab Jalil added that some of his friends owning diesel pickup trucks had decided to sell them as they could no longer cope with escalating expenses.
Also cutting down on travel is metal supplier T. Paramasivan, who said it cost him close to RM600 to fill up his pickup truck compared to RM270 previously.
“I only use my truck three times a week now, to manage my expenses, compared to driving it every day before.
“In the past, I spent around RM1,300 to RM1,400 a month on fuel, but now it is about RM2,400,” he said, noting that on average he would spend about RM85 a day on fuel, compared to RM60 previously.
He, too, is thinking of selling off his diesel-guzzler if the situation continues.
Businessman Koo Han Yong, who owns two lorries and a pick-up truck, is also feeling the pressure of added costs across his operations.
“I am also renting a mini excavator which runs on diesel.
“Previously, RM150 was enough to fill the tank for the excavator but now it is almost double,” he said, adding that filling up his pickup truck now costs more than RM500.
Koo said he was not eligible for the diesel subsidy and has to buy fuel at unsubsidised price, which is a strain on his finances.
“I have to charge my customers higher, but even then, my profit is lower,” he said, adding that business had slowed down as customers cut back on spending.
To reduce his expenses, Koo has been using a petrol car whenever possible.
