INDIANAPOLIS — The rising cost of fuel could lead to the end of the road for some local businesses as prices dig deep into their operating budgets.
Larry Roberson has been the president of the Capitol City Coach for the last 20 years.
“I’m afraid that this is it. My wife and I have owned this business for 20 years and this is our income. This is it. We have nothing else. If we are caused to shut down, then we are broke,” Roberson said.
With the recent rise in gas prices, Roberson is afraid to raise his prices because he doesn’t want to lose business. He said if the prices continue to skyrocket, he could lose his business.
“We are trying to make sure our fuel costs are a minimum,” Roberson said.
Roberson says his business isn’t even back to pre-pandemic levels.
When Roberson first started his company, gas prices were hovering around $2 a gallon. They're now double that.
“We went from about $900,000 a year in sales to $197,000 and now we are back up to $400,000,” Roberson said.
Roberson has had to raise his prices by about 5%.
Roberson isn’t the only business owner who is feeling the impact of the rising gas prices.
Emerson Borbor, the owner at Pronta Pizzeria for the last nine months, said the amount of people ordering delivery has gone down recently.
“The last 5 days, I’ve noticed our delivery service on the internet is getting slow but not inside as you can tell,” Borbor said.
-
ISP sergeant calls it 'heartbreaking' as 'selfish' drivers hit trooper vehicles
Six Indiana State Police trooper vehicles in the Indianapolis district have been hit in just the last five days, all while responding to other crashes on icy roads.
Fortville takes steps to get another grocery store as town grows
Right now, there is only one dedicated grocery store on the east end of town, a distance that can become a serious barrier for residents without reliable transportation.
Local program helps residents avoid utility shutoffs during winter cold snap
United Way of Central Indiana’s Winter Assistance Fund, a program designed for people who earn too much to qualify for government energy assistance programs but still can't afford rising utility costs
Hamilton Co Sheriff's using real-time data to help during winter emergencies
The Hamilton County Real-Time Information Center is leveraging advanced technology to help first responders act faster when winter weather puts lives at risk.
