Nicole Denis is the co-owner, along with her fiancé, Dean Bauer, of Northern Delivery & Courier Service Inc., a courier company based in Brantford, Ont.

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Nicole Denis is the co-owner, along with her fianc, Dean Bauer, of Northern Delivery & Courier Service Inc., a courier company based in Brantford, Ont. CBCnews.ca: How do fuel prices affect your business?

Nicole Denis: We are a small, direct-drive courier company that has always been fuel efficient by using small vehicles for small parcels, and vans or trucks only when necessary. It has been our goal to keep down costs and to help our environment as much as we can.

I know as costs rise, more companies will be parking their gas-guzzling trucks and using a service like ours to be cost-effective for smaller parcels.

What impact have recent fuel price increases had on you?

Our clients have been very understanding about fuel costs. We are up-front about all our charges — using flat-rate pricing instead of hiding behind "gas taxes" or "fuel surcharges."

'I know as costs rise, more companies will be parking their gas-guzzling trucks and using a service like ours to be cost-effective for smaller parcels.'—Nicole Denis

I know if we are honest with them and only add what is needed, they will be loyal to us regardless of what the oil market holds for our future. People will always need their goods transported, and we will be there to help them.

How will you cope if prices continue to rise?

I feel that we all need to look for alternatives rather than getting upset about fuel prices.

We need to find alternatives and stay positive. It saves energy both ways: There's no point wasting energy getting angry.