Long-haul trucker Miguel Caveda recently spent around $1,800 on diesel fuel during a week on the road, about 40% more than before the Iran war began. The sudden surge in diesel prices has eroded Caveda's profit and upended his business in other ways, too. He has started searching out lighter hauls and avoiding hilly routes that guzzle fuel.

A broader economic impact could hit soon as the steeper fuel costs will eventually trickle into the prices consumers pay for goods he is carrying—from tires to watermelon—assuming his business survives. The average gallon of diesel is up around 40% from a month ago, according to the article. Small truck drivers in the U.S. are feeling some of the first economic effects of this rapid surge in the cost of diesel.

The diesel price shock is creating immediate hardship for independent truckers who operate on thin margins. With fuel now consuming a much larger portion of their operating costs, many are being forced to make difficult business decisions. Some truckers report they're taking on less profitable loads or avoiding routes that require more fuel. This crisis for truckers could soon translate into higher prices for everyday goods as transportation costs get passed along the supply chain.