Over the past week alone... Gas prices in Nevada have surged more than 60 cents. According to AAA, the latest record high averages -in Reno, regular unleaded is five dollars and six cents a gallon. Statewide, it's four dollars and 92 cents a gallon, and nationwide it's four dollars and 33 cents a gallon.

Those prices may seem steep for normal commuters, but for those making a living off driving everyday, it can be crushing.

“Whatever money we took home before, now we have to take half. Like if we take 80 dollar home, now we only take 40 dollar," said a driver for Reno Sparks Cab Company.

The amount of cabs on the road have declined rapidly for a few reasons, like the introduction of ride share companies like Uber and Lyft a few years ago, to the pandemic reducing travel, and now the astronomical price at the pump.

“We are down to half the amount of cars that we used to have on the road and half the drivers that we have had this time a year ago," said Robin Street, Vice President for Reno Sparks Cab.

For those who remain, these independent contractors not only have to pay the $600-$700 as a fee to rent out the cab from the taxi company, and now $400-$500 in gas, meaning some need to make at least $1100 a month just to break even.  Unfortunately for the drivers, they say rates are set by the company, and have not met the increased cost of driving.

“I can't make any more money because our prices are the same, our prices don’t fluctuate, not too high not too low, all the time the same," said MD Currie, who also drives for Reno Sparks Cab.

Street says these complaints are not falling on deaf ears, and they are looking into cost saving measures for their drivers, like fuel saving vehicles or even increasing the rates for passengers.

“We haven't put in a rate increase in over 10 years, we've tried to keep it down. We've had Uber come into town and we have tried to keep our competitive rates," said Street. “To stay afloat around here we may have to do that, we have to look into it, we haven't started it yet."

Uber just announced that starting march 16th, passengers will pay a surcharge of either $0.45 or $0.55 per trip, or $0.35 to $0.45 cents on each Uber eats order depending on their location with 100 percent of that going directly to drivers.