April 25, 2008 03:32 PM ET Marianne Lavelle
How would you like to pay $1,000 for a fill-up at the gas station? If you drive a truck, you could well be forking over that kind of money a few times a week. The nation's average price of diesel fuel has ratcheted up 24 percent since the start of the year to $4.14 per gallon—that's up 45 percent over a year ago.
The price of oil may be annoyance or hardship for most of us, but it is an outright threat to the livelihoods of many of the people who bring us our food, clothing, electronics, and toys. If you find yourself behind slow-moving trucks on the interstate, flying the American flag, or if you see a convoy of rigs making their way around the streets of Washington, D.C., on Monday, it's the truck drivers' call for help.
Driver Michael "J.B." Schaffner, one of the organizers of a rally planned at the Capitol on April 28, says he's looking for one thing from lawmakers: "To care about the people that employ them. To start listening more than they have been, and start reacting." Schaffner, who was forced by fuel prices to give up driving his own rig last year and now drives for a small company, has heard it said that the market sets the price of oil, and that there's little Congress can do. "They can hide behind that all they want," he says. But he thinks there's plenty that they can do, including such things as taking away Big Oil tax breaks, opening up more U.S. areas for drilling, and getting petroleum alternatives to market.
Schaffner and his brother are getting the word out about the rally through their website, The American Driver, which had 2 million visitors in just the past month (compared with about 1 million visitors all last year.) Another truck driver and rally organizer, Mark Kirsch, says that many of the site visitors are not other drivers, but just other citizens and consumers like them, who are also feeling the pinch. "My paycheck hasn't doubled or tripled in the last year, but with food, fuel, heating oil—everything else has," he says.
While small truckers like Schaffner and Kirsch try to make their voices heard in their way, the big trucking companies also are asking the federal government to act. The American Trucking Association was on Capitol Hill this week asking for a release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Swift Transportation Vice President Dave Berry said that although the SPR doesn't have enough oil to permanently alter supplies, "We believe strategic releases...could temporarily increase the supply of crude oil and hopefully help restore rational behavior to the petroleum markets. This type of government intervention could drive speculators out of the market and help ensure that petroleum prices are once again driven by supply and demand."
Whether we know it or not, we all are paying for that $1,000 fill-up at the gas station. From the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008, the price that trucking companies charge to haul freight increased 4.8 percent, the American Trucking Association says. That's just about what the increase in food prices were in the first quarter of 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "We are very concerned that out-of-control energy prices will greatly magnify our current economic slowdown and delay our economic recovery," Berry testified.
Schaffner puts it another way, "It's the biggest vicious cycle I've ever seen in my life."
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Truckers Find Water in Tanks, TCEQ Investigates
by Sara Talbert - April 24, 2008. See Article Here
ROSS- Broken down and stranded. Some truckers say that is what happened to them after pumping gas at a Central Texas truck stop. They say their engines won't run now and they tell News Channel 25 it's because water is in their tanks.
Those truckers say the company, Exxon, isn't helping them fix their trucks.
"Sounded like it wasn't getting any fuel; which it wasn't. It was getting whatever is in here. It's just messed up the whole truck. It won't run," said Evelyn Gooden, a trucker now stranded because her truck's engine won't start.
She and fellow trucker Danny Haynes fueled their semi's around five Wednesday afternoon and didn't even make it out of the parking lot of the Gator Truck Stop in Ross before their engines shut down.
Thursday, barrels of the fuel, $700 worth, were drained out of Gooden's tanks.
"I was running fine when I came in here; he was fine when he came in here. Kind of funny as soon as we both fuel, we die," said Gooden.
News Channel 25 spoke with Shakil Ali who runs the Exxon station.
"We checked the water, not water in there," Ali said.
Ali showed News Channel 25 of a test result from Wednesday night around 10:30 and Thursday around noon. Wednesday night, no water showed in the underground tank. Thursday, 6.78 inches or 569 gallons were there.
"Heavy rains, then it's a problem. Last night was heavy rains; that's why we have problems that the water is in the tank," said Ali.
In fact, Ali checked the tank for News Channel 25 and sure enough, water was in the tank.
"It's normal. Every people has this problem. Every gas station has problems," said Ali.
News Channel 25 spoke with the Texas Commission on Environmental Equality who said not everyone has this problem. Anna Dunbar with TCEQ said, "Water in the fuel may indicate a problem at the facility. The TCEQ will investigate."
The last time the Gator Truck Stop was inspected was in 2005, but was closed down at the time. TCEQ says there are no complaints on record about the facility.
ROSS- Broken down and stranded. Some truckers say that is what happened to them after pumping gas at a Central Texas truck stop. They say their engines won't run now and they tell News Channel 25 it's because water is in their tanks.
Those truckers say the company, Exxon, isn't helping them fix their trucks.
"Sounded like it wasn't getting any fuel; which it wasn't. It was getting whatever is in here. It's just messed up the whole truck. It won't run," said Evelyn Gooden, a trucker now stranded because her truck's engine won't start.
She and fellow trucker Danny Haynes fueled their semi's around five Wednesday afternoon and didn't even make it out of the parking lot of the Gator Truck Stop in Ross before their engines shut down.
Thursday, barrels of the fuel, $700 worth, were drained out of Gooden's tanks.
"I was running fine when I came in here; he was fine when he came in here. Kind of funny as soon as we both fuel, we die," said Gooden.
News Channel 25 spoke with Shakil Ali who runs the Exxon station.
"We checked the water, not water in there," Ali said.
Ali showed News Channel 25 of a test result from Wednesday night around 10:30 and Thursday around noon. Wednesday night, no water showed in the underground tank. Thursday, 6.78 inches or 569 gallons were there.
"Heavy rains, then it's a problem. Last night was heavy rains; that's why we have problems that the water is in the tank," said Ali.
In fact, Ali checked the tank for News Channel 25 and sure enough, water was in the tank.
"It's normal. Every people has this problem. Every gas station has problems," said Ali.
News Channel 25 spoke with the Texas Commission on Environmental Equality who said not everyone has this problem. Anna Dunbar with TCEQ said, "Water in the fuel may indicate a problem at the facility. The TCEQ will investigate."
The last time the Gator Truck Stop was inspected was in 2005, but was closed down at the time. TCEQ says there are no complaints on record about the facility.
Truckers Rev Up Diesel Protest
Friday, April 25, 2008
BY TOM DOCHAT View Article Here
Of The Patriot-News
As fuel prices continued hitting record highs this week, frustrations among motorists escalated.
That has motivated thousands of people from across the country to rally Monday in Washington, D.C., to protest oil prices that are ravaging the national economy and running some independent truckers out of business.
"We're going to let them know that, somewhere along the line, they forgot they work for us," said Myerstown trucker Mark Kirsch, referring to the protesters' intention to demand a meeting with congressional leaders.
The truckers want to meet with Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who has proposed a federal gas tax moratorium for this summer.
They also hope to meet with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has indicated she might support a temporary moratorium if a windfall profits tax on oil companies put money back into the highway trust funds.
Sen. Barack Obama, who is competing with Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, has opposed McCain's idea. Obama said it's a bad policy because that tax money is needed to maintain the nation's roads and bridges.
Other observers have said McCain's proposal would not do much to help people while taking away valuable support for highway maintenance.
"It is less a quick fix than an oversimplified play to voter concerns over the rising cost of oil," said a statement released last week by Americans for
Transportation Mobility, which represents more than 400 transportation users and providers. "Suspending the fuel surcharge might make a good sound bite, but it is bad public policy."
Clayton Boyce, a spokesman for the American Trucking Association, said his organization is not opposed to the idea, "but we really need to wait and see."
If the federal taxes were suspended, the Highway Trust Fund would need some other revenue source, he said. The trust fund is expected to go broke in 2009, he said.
Without continued funding, the nation faces more highway congestion, and "we'll be wasting more fuel," Boyce said.
Gasoline prices continued to increase this week, and diesel fuel hit a record high of $4.433 Thursday in AAA's Harrisburg/Lebanon/Carlisle market. Suspending the federal tax would cut that per-gallon price to $4.189.
"Like I've said before, it would be a good start," Kirsch said Wednesday. "But they have to do something else. They have to get those speculators off Wall Street. There's a lot of things that can be done."
BY TOM DOCHAT View Article Here
Of The Patriot-News
As fuel prices continued hitting record highs this week, frustrations among motorists escalated.
That has motivated thousands of people from across the country to rally Monday in Washington, D.C., to protest oil prices that are ravaging the national economy and running some independent truckers out of business.
"We're going to let them know that, somewhere along the line, they forgot they work for us," said Myerstown trucker Mark Kirsch, referring to the protesters' intention to demand a meeting with congressional leaders.
The truckers want to meet with Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who has proposed a federal gas tax moratorium for this summer.
They also hope to meet with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has indicated she might support a temporary moratorium if a windfall profits tax on oil companies put money back into the highway trust funds.
Sen. Barack Obama, who is competing with Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, has opposed McCain's idea. Obama said it's a bad policy because that tax money is needed to maintain the nation's roads and bridges.
Other observers have said McCain's proposal would not do much to help people while taking away valuable support for highway maintenance.
"It is less a quick fix than an oversimplified play to voter concerns over the rising cost of oil," said a statement released last week by Americans for
Transportation Mobility, which represents more than 400 transportation users and providers. "Suspending the fuel surcharge might make a good sound bite, but it is bad public policy."
Clayton Boyce, a spokesman for the American Trucking Association, said his organization is not opposed to the idea, "but we really need to wait and see."
If the federal taxes were suspended, the Highway Trust Fund would need some other revenue source, he said. The trust fund is expected to go broke in 2009, he said.
Without continued funding, the nation faces more highway congestion, and "we'll be wasting more fuel," Boyce said.
Gasoline prices continued to increase this week, and diesel fuel hit a record high of $4.433 Thursday in AAA's Harrisburg/Lebanon/Carlisle market. Suspending the federal tax would cut that per-gallon price to $4.189.
"Like I've said before, it would be a good start," Kirsch said Wednesday. "But they have to do something else. They have to get those speculators off Wall Street. There's a lot of things that can be done."
Friday, April 18, 2008
Diesel Fuel Prices and Trucker Complaints.
I understand that the fuel prices are affecting the independent truckers in more ways than most people can imagine. However, it pisses me off on how many truckers I hear complaining about the fuel prices, but still they keep driving their trucks! As long as there is a demand for the fuel, then the supply will keep coming and the prices will keep rising. I mean. it's like the truckers are saying, "These damn fuel prices are rediculous and I am tired of it....But I am going to continue to keep paying for the high fuel". Read that quote over and over again until you hear how stupid it sounds in your head.
My point here is, if you are going to keep enabling the oil industry by purchasing their fuels at the prices they are asking, then STOP complaining because it's YOU who are keeping them in business. So in essence, it's YOUR responsibility to put a stop to it. Complainers who enable the subject of the complaint are hypocrites in my opinion. If truckers really want the fuel prices to come down, then Stop driving, grab a pickett sign and head to Washington DC. Be sure to bring boxes of food and coolers of drinks to last a very, very long time. I'd say 4 - 6 months at least. And be prepared to bathe in fountains and public water sources such as lakes and ponds. Oh yea, and bring a tent to park on the capital buidings lawn so you can have somewhere to seek shelter. The government doesn't listen to the CB Radio, drivers. You have to be seen to be heard. So stressing yourself with complaints to other drivers is only going to make you feel miserable. Do something, and stop saying so much and not acting.
My point here is, if you are going to keep enabling the oil industry by purchasing their fuels at the prices they are asking, then STOP complaining because it's YOU who are keeping them in business. So in essence, it's YOUR responsibility to put a stop to it. Complainers who enable the subject of the complaint are hypocrites in my opinion. If truckers really want the fuel prices to come down, then Stop driving, grab a pickett sign and head to Washington DC. Be sure to bring boxes of food and coolers of drinks to last a very, very long time. I'd say 4 - 6 months at least. And be prepared to bathe in fountains and public water sources such as lakes and ponds. Oh yea, and bring a tent to park on the capital buidings lawn so you can have somewhere to seek shelter. The government doesn't listen to the CB Radio, drivers. You have to be seen to be heard. So stressing yourself with complaints to other drivers is only going to make you feel miserable. Do something, and stop saying so much and not acting.
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