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Local heating oil supplier faces driver shortage amid surge in winter demand

WLOS · last updated

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — With a blast of cold weather coming in as winter begins, local heating oil companies are facing an increase in demand.

Daniel Wayne McElroy, the owner of McElroy Oil in Waynesville says they are backed up a week and half.

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McElroy says that not only are they facing an increased demand, but also a shortage of drivers.

McElroy says a high demand for heating oil is to be expected this time of year; however this has been the hardest year to find drivers.

“The state and federal has changed the laws on hazmat drivers. So, they have a lot of different criteria to meet this year than they have ever had before,” McElroy said.

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McElroy asks customers to be patient and says they are getting orders completed as fast as they can.

He says the reason why heating oil is so popular is because outlying areas do not have natural gas lines.

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