Trending Now - Soaring Gas Prices Hit Working Drivers Harder
WHO:
Yahoo - Leslie Sherman-Shafer, an Uber driver in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Yahoo - Chris Willatt, a former geologist and owner of Alpine Maids, a housekeeping company based in Denver.
Yahoo - Molly Kenefick, owner of Doggy Lama Pet Care Inc. in Oakland, California.
Yahoo - Sarah Noell, a DoorDash delivery driver in Lynchburg, Virginia.
AP News - Sarah Bahezre, manager of the bus transportation company Ulysse Cars.
Yahoo - Rachel Hunter, co-founder of Cactus Crew Junk Removal & Thrift Store in Phoenix.
WHAT:
Yahoo - Leslie Sherman-Shafer, an Uber driver, now spends closer to $40 to fill her Toyota Corolla since the Iran war began, compared to around $25 previously.
Yahoo - Chris Willatt, owner of Alpine Maids, stated that if gas prices climb further, he might increase what he charges customers to pay workers more.
Yahoo - Molly Kenefick plans to keep the increased gas reimbursement rate of 80 cents per mile until gas prices in their area drop below $5 for at least a month.
Yahoo - Rachel Hunter reported that the cost of diesel fuel for her truck has risen from $3.62 to $6.09 per gallon in Phoenix.
Yahoo - The average U.S. price for a gallon of regular gasoline reached $3.99 on March 27th, 2026, up 34% from a month earlier.
Yahoo - Gas prices have increased by $1 since the Iran war began on February 28th, 2026.
Yahoo - Average U.S. diesel prices climbed 44% over the last month.
Yahoo - Alpine Maids pays cleaners a reimbursement rate of 72.5 cents per mile for driving to clients' homes.
Yahoo - Doggy Lama Pet Care Inc. raised its gas reimbursement rate to 80 cents per mile for 15 employees.
Yahoo - DoorDash and Instacart are providing a weekly fuel payment to drivers who travel 125 miles or more making deliveries.
WHERE:
Yahoo - San Francisco Bay Area, California.
Yahoo - Denver, Colorado.
Yahoo - Oakland, California.
Yahoo - Lynchburg, Virginia.
AP News - Philippines and France.
Yahoo - Phoenix, Arizona.
WHEN:
Yahoo - The Iran war began on February 28th, 2026.
Yahoo - The national average price for gas reached $3.99 per gallon on March 27th, 2026.
Yahoo - Molly Kenefick plans to raise prices for her company's services in May 2026.
WHY:
Yahoo - Sarah Bahezre, manager of Ulysse Cars, expressed that the major difficulty is balancing business costs since they sold services at a price based on much cheaper diesel.
Yahoo - Rising gasoline prices are affecting drivers who use their own vehicles for work, leading to financial strain.
Yahoo - Companies are adjusting reimbursement rates and service prices due to increased fuel costs.
HOW:
Yahoo - Sarah Noell has started refusing any DoorDash order that won’t average out to $1 per mile, which includes the $2.50 per order she receives from DoorDash.
Yahoo - Chris Willatt reduced how often maids report to the office from daily to once a week to minimize driving.
Yahoo - Molly Kenefick is dipping into her savings to help cover increased gas costs for her employees.
Yahoo - Sarah Noell has started refusing any DoorDash order that won’t average out to $1 per mile.
(UPDATED March 31, 2026 07:20 UTC)
The ongoing conflict in Iran has significantly impacted fuel prices, with Uber driver Leslie Sherman-Shafer now paying around $40 to fill her Toyota Corolla, up from about $25. In response to rising costs, Chris Willatt, owner of Alpine Maids, is considering increasing his charges to customers to ensure fair wages for his workers, while Molly Kenefick plans to maintain an 80-cent per mile gas reimbursement rate until local prices drop below $5 for a month. Meanwhile, Sarah Noell has begun to refuse any DoorDash orders that don’t average out to $1 per mile, reflecting the broader challenges faced by drivers and businesses in managing expenses amid soaring fuel prices.
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(UPDATED March 31, 2026 01:25 UTC)
The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. hit $3.99 on Friday, marking a significant 34% increase from just a month earlier, largely due to the ongoing Iran war that began February 28th. As a result, drivers across the country, including those in the San Francisco Bay Area, Denver, and Lynchburg, are feeling the financial strain, prompting companies like Doggy Lama Pet Care Inc. to raise their gas reimbursement rates to 80 cents per mile. In response to these rising costs, some businesses are adjusting their operations, with Chris Willatt of Alpine Maids reducing office visits to once a week to cut down on driving.