Iran War Fuels U.S. Gas Price Surge, Hits Workers

Rising gasoline prices triggered by the ongoing Iran war are squeezing American workers who rely on their personal vehicles for jobs, forcing many to work longer hours or absorb unexpected costs just to stay afloat.

The conflict, which began on February 28 and has now stretched into its fifth week, has disrupted global oil supplies and driven up fuel costs across the United States. The national average price for regular gasoline hit $3.99 per gallon on Monday, a 34-cent increase from a month earlier, according to AAA. Diesel prices have risen even more sharply, climbing 44 cents on average over the same period. In Phoenix, for instance, diesel jumped from $3.62 to $6.09 per gallon in recent weeks.

Nearly 27 percent of civilian workers reported driving as a key physical demand of their jobs last year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This includes millions in ridesharing, delivery, self-employed trades and caregiving roles who use their own cars, vans or trucks without routine reimbursement for fuel.

Leslie Sherman-Shafer, a retired dental assistant who drives for Uber five days a week in the San Francisco Bay Area, said her routine fill-up for her Toyota Corolla...