<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Truck drivers are facing dangerous situations as </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/petrol-prices" rel="" target="_blank" title="diesel shortages"><span>diesel shortages</span></a><span> in Australia's remote outback leave them stranded on isolated stretches of highway.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Long-distance driver Robert Cook has been stuck twice on his </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/petrol-prices" rel="" target="_blank" title="Melbourne"><span>Melbourne</span></a><span> to Perth run, first for over 24 hours on the Nullarbor Plain and again in Keith in South Australia's south-east.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cook waited hours alongside five other drivers for a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-shortage-australia-petrol-diesel-prices-tradies-worse-off/e6f67a9b-2f4d-4ed5-8edf-d5eaf3afaad4" rel="" target="_blank" title="fresh supply of diesel"><span>fresh supply of diesel</span></a><span> to be delivered to a remote fuel station on SA's Limestone Coast yesterday evening.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>EXCLUSIVE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/italian-dual-citizenship-strict-new-rule-that-destroyed-carlas-retirement-plans/bf9f10ff-2911-40fa-b7ee-d8f92600742a" rel="" target="_blank" title="'Lost my identity': Strict rule destroyed Carla's retirement plans"><strong><span>'Lost my identity': Strict rule destroyed Carla's retirement plans</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He had been driving for around 500 kilometres without seeing a single drop of diesel at any service station.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Some of the guys I've been speaking to have said, 'Look, we're thinking about hanging our keys up'," Cook, who runs his own heavy haulage company Helco Group, told </span><a href="https://www.nine.com.au/?rf=true" rel="" target="" title="Nine.com.au."><span>Nine.com.au.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I've had to stand down two trucks. It's a struggle."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/fuel-crisis-australia-truck-drivers-warning-as-diesel-shortage-poses-deadly-risk-remote-highways/1d5bb6be-e154-4486-8d33-bd8f6cf9cf24" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>After filling up late yesterday, Cook said he may only manage to make it to Brisbane before needing to fork out for another tank, if he drives "conservatively".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Diesel fuel costs for Cook's regular Melbourne to Perth drive have now doubled from $5000 to $10,000.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The cost of diesel is now over $3.15 per litre at some petrol stations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/us-israel-iran-war-live-updates-march-26-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/b0bfd66d-90f4-4ec6-9124-cdab59a04c62" target="_blank"><strong><span>Iran dismisses US ceasefire plan, issues its own counterproposal</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Although the ballooning price of keeping his trucks on the road is not the biggest problem.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Careful fuel management is crucial even without a global oil crisis – at one point, there is a 192-kilometre gap between fuel stops on the Nullarbor, which is among the longest straight stretches of road in the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cook is now worried for the safety of his drivers.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I tell our drivers, minimum 20 to 30 litres of water, enough canned food and stuff... because our trucks have microwaves and inverters, so they're completely self-reliant," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It can go south very quickly, especially out there in the summertime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's very dangerous."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Cook is on the road for a job with freight carrier Loadshift.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Loadshift's Operations Coordinator Alex Randall said drivers like Cook are being left "high and dry", despite trucking companies being the backbone of Australia's supply chain.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"There's no system telling them which servos have fuel and which don't. They're driving blind," Randall said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"What makes this even worse is that a third of trucks on Australian roads are running empty at any given time. "</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/meta-and-youtube-liable-and-negligent-for-child-harm-3-million-award/cd4c0304-d543-4e44-b7fe-1935ba8cc6aa" target="_blank"><strong><span>Meta and YouTube struck with landmark $US3 million child harm decision</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Transport Workers Union (TWU) and Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) have also warned surging diesel prices have now reached "deadly" new heights.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The unions have called on the government to pass emergency laws to keep truck drivers in business.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Businesses are at imminent risk of collapse and workers are under deadly pressure because there are huge retailers and other clients out there refusing to pay their fair share for skyrocketing fuel costs," TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The federal government must act now to put in place emergency powers to ensure the industry can cope with the current crisis – otherwise we will see more transport workers die on our roads, more businesses go under, and our supply chains at breaking point."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The time spent waiting for diesel to arrive has put Cook almost two days' behind schedule.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He warned the knock-on impact is not "sustainable" and that prices will inevitably rise across the board.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The problem is that we have to pass that on to somebody, and unfortunately, it's going to be the consumer," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It's double for us, it's going to be double for them, just to stay afloat. It's going to affect a lot of people, like, without a doubt."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY:</span></strong></em><span> </span><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>