(WXYZ) — High gas prices are impacting local landscaping businesses as spring begins, with many having to make adjustments to plans to keep costs of doing business under control.
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“We’ve got a contract with the city of Plymouth and we do Livonia schools, so we stay relatively busy," said Arturo Guzman, owner of Art's Residential Tree Service.
As a proud business owner for more than 50 years, Arturo Guzman says he’s been looking forward to starting spring cleanup jobs this week. He invited me to come see his crew hard at work in Canton as countless families reach out for help keeping yards in good shape.
"We've got quite a few trucks, and they're all diesels and that. The equipment and all that runs on diesel and gas, so it's like we don't want to raise the prices on anybody ... especially now," he said.
But he admits rising gas prices have left him with a sinking feeling about making ends meet with gas prices around $4 a gallon. He says the price of fuel, including diesel fuel, is cutting into his profits at a time when many companies are struggling.
“I'm hoping for the best. I really am. I need a good year this year," said Guzman.
Neighbor Robert Slebodnick, who was doing his own landscaping, is remaining hopeful.
“[Once] they get the Strait of Hormuz open and tankers going through, I expect things to come down real soon," said Slebodnick.
Guzman says keeping his crew of eight workers employed also means finding more jobs after a tough couple of economic years, yet he worries about customers who may also be scaling back on tree trimming and other work.
While the war in Iran plays out, putting pressure on oil prices, he tells me other landscapers are also closely following the situation and adjusting plans accordingly.
Economics professor Michael Greiner with Oakland University is also weighing in.
"They're probably gonna have to raise their prices ... in fact, we're already seeing, for example, with the airlines that ... they've said they're going to be increasing their prices based on the fuel prices going up. And ... the reality is, I know that people want this to be done quickly and want this to be over quickly, but the odds are that's not gonna be the case," said Greiner.
Professor Greiner points out that even though the U.S. is a huge producer of oil, the global market is still largely affected by the war, keeping prices higher longer.
