Kim Roberts used to fill up one of his tractor-trailers’ gas tanks for about $600. Now it’s nearly $1,200. “It’s about doubled on me,” said Roberts, who owns Roberts Towing and Transport in Columbia. The higher price of diesel has forced Roberts to add a 15 percent fuel surcharge to his customers’ bills. The extra charge doesn’t fully compensate for the fuel spike, Roberts said. “But what do you do? If you go up too much, (customers) will find someone else to do the work.” With unleaded gas hovering about $3.70 a gallon in South Carolina and supply shortages in the Southeast, gas prices have leapt past the Iraq war to become one of the top issues for voters of all political stripes. The Palmetto State’s gas prices remain among the highest in the nation, making voters passionate about their presidential pick. ...
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