TIJUANA
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Israel Rodriguez was behind the wheel of one of the 24 large trucks and buses that ringed a Pemex gas station on the edge of Tijuana yesterday.
He figured it was going to take nearly two hours to reach the pumps. And once there, he was limited to $100 worth of fuel – about 45 gallons or a sixth of the capacity of his fuel tanks.
The scramble for diesel fuel continued south of the border as fewer and fewer stations had supplies to keep public transportation moving and big trucks delivering goods. The problem began last weekend as a flood of U.S. drivers bought up lower-cost Mexican fuel and caused some stations to restrict sales to regular customers.
It is uncertain when relief may arrive. Operators of several gas stations said a ship carrying diesel fuel is expected to dock at Rosarito Beach to resupply a distribution plant by today. Others said it would arrive Monday. A representative of the Pemex plant said the ship would dock over the weekend.
Unlike distribution centers that are connected to a pipeline, the Rosarito Beach center is supplied by ship and cannot instantly receive fuel when it runs low, several gas station operators said.
Pemex is Mexico's government-owned oil monopoly.
Jose Martinez Caballero, who manages the station where Rodriguez's rig waited, runs one of the few places selling diesel yesterday. Martinez said he received some fuel yesterday morning and was promised more by this evening. Besides imposing a limit on quantity, he was only selling to truck and bus drivers.
Even with the rationing, Martinez expected to run out by the end of the day yesterday.
One bus line parked a quarter of its fleet because it didn't have enough fuel, according to a manager. Public transit buses in Tijuana are operated by private companies.
Due to Mexican government subsidies, diesel sells for about $2.20 a gallon in Tijuana, compared with $5 in many places in San Diego County.
Messages seeking comment from Pemex officials in Mexico City were not returned.
Freelance writer Omar Millán González contributed to this report.
Jose Jimenez: (619) 293-1865; jose.jimenez@uniontrib.com
