Rural transport operators are urging the Federal Government to freeze the heavy vehicle road user charge until the end of August, as conflict in the Middle East continues to drive diesel prices higher.
The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association has thrown its support behind the Australian Trucking Association, which is taking the industry's case directly to Transport Minister Catherine King.
The charge is set to almost double on August 3, rising from 16.4 to 32.4 cents per litre, adding $64 to every 400-litre fill.
ALRTA president Gerard Johnson said rural operators were already covering long distances across regional and remote Australia on extremely tight margins.
"Rural transport operators buy fuel by the thousands of litres. A rise of this size can wipe the margin from a load and turn a paying job into a loss," Mr Johnson said.
The national average terminal gate diesel price jumped 9.3 cents per litre in one week, from 181.7 to 191 cents.
The government announced the staged increase in June after a US-Iran ceasefire, which has since collapsed.
Attacks are disrupting oil shipping, and Russia has halted diesel exports after strikes on its refineries.
"We are asking Minister King to listen to the ATA and the broader transport industry, delay the next increase and review the position at the end of August," Mr Johnson said.
