These days, diesel prices are over $7, specifically $7.40, and it's really disheartening to see they have no intention of going down.

I understand the price of fuel went up after the war broke out. But when it rises this much, it feels like a message to just close up shop.

I work in food delivery for restaurants in LA. I drive my truck around every day delivering ingredients and handling wholesale food deliveries.

While it sounds good to say I deliver food to restaurants, the reality is that fuel costs account for more than half of my expenses.

In the past, when diesel prices went up, I would just think, "That's a bit of a burden." But now, running three trucks a day means I'm spending hundreds of dollars just on fuel.

Since this happens every day, it's hard not to feel like I'm going crazy.

These days, when I suggest raising prices to restaurant owners during this economic downturn, they all say they're struggling, but if I don't raise them, I'm going to be in trouble.

When news about the war comes up, it often feels like a distant issue. But fuel prices hit close to home.

With tensions rising in Iran and instability in the Middle East, diesel prices have skyrocketed.

The most frustrating part is that this isn't just a temporary spike. Once prices go up, they rarely come back down.

In the past, there was a rhythm where prices would rise a bit and then fall again, but these days, once they go up a level, they just stay there.

This accumulates. For someone in business, this is the scariest part.

I deliver food to several restaurants, and they're all in similar situations. Ingredient costs are rising, labor costs are rising, and with transportation costs going up too, our margins keep shrinking.

Some owners are cutting their menus, while others are reducing delivery options.

But the funny thing is, customers ask, "Why did the prices go up?" What can I say? "Because fuel prices went up," and some understand, while others don't.

To be honest, this isn't something that a small business owner like me can handle alone.

When a war breaks out, fuel prices spike, and the effects last for months or even years. Small business owners bear the brunt of it all.

I often think, "What did I do wrong?" All I do is work hard and maintain my business relationships, yet I'm thrown off balance by external variables.

These days, I find myself calculating while driving. "This distance will cost this much in fuel," "If I hit this many stops today, I'll spend this much." In the past, I didn't do this. I just worked, and money was left over, but now, if I miscalculate, I'm in the red.

So, the thought that keeps coming to mind is this: Isn't this situation just insane?

But the funny thing is, we adapt. At first, people complain, but eventually, they just resign themselves to it.

With no real alternatives, I start my truck today. I take a deep breath looking at the fuel prices, but I still have to get the job done.

This is the reality for people running businesses in LA right now.