Diesel surge pushes Danish hauliers to pass costs to customers

Soaring diesel prices are sharply increasing costs for Danish hauliers, who are passing the extra expense on to their customers, DR reports.

Per Rasmussen, a haulier in Klakring near Juelsminde, operates 20 lorries and calculates that the higher diesel prices cost his business an additional 15,000 kroner a day.

“If I had to pay the bill myself, I would be closed in two months. That is absolutely certain, because fuel prices take up so much,” Rasmussen said.

Haulier Kudsk and Nissum in Vojens has introduced a fuel surcharge of 15 per cent of the total bill, according to managing director Jørn Kudsk.

Jesper Schimann Hansen, managing director of Padborg Transportcenter, said passing on the higher costs was the solution used by most transport companies.

“In the end, the bill lands with us consumers,” he said.

A litre of petrol at a staffed service station cost 19.19 kroner on Monday, the highest level ever recorded according to the Danish motorists’ organisation FDM.

Andreas Schmidt, who runs the Peder Schmidt haulage business in Løgumkloster, ordered new lorries several months ago with electric motors instead of diesel engines. He hopes to have them on the road before Christmas and then operate exclusively on electricity.

Kudsk and Nissum has not made the same investment. Because electric lorries have long delivery times, Jørn Kudsk said he hoped that the fighting in the Middle East would soon end so that oil prices could return to normal.