Major trucker strike coming soon due to fuel costs.

[TruckDriver]

I hope they actually pull this one off myself.

Truckers to Strike Over Record Diesel Prices, Some Paying Up to $1,200 to Fill-Up

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,344170,00.html

MEDFORD, Ore. —  Independent U.S. truckers are planning to stop hauling freight Tuesday in protest of record-high diesel prices that drivers say they can no longer afford.

Independent truckers, who constitute 90 percent of the nation's trucking fleet, are being hit especially hard by soaring diesel prices and compensation lags far behind rising costs, according to the American Trucking Association.

"Diesel used to be 30 to 40 cents cheaper than regular gasoline; now it's 30 to 40 cents more," said independent truck driver Gordon Gravely, of Helena, Mont., who stopped at the Phoenix Petro Truck Stop on his way to Roseburg, Ore.

Many truckers are spreading word of a strike through Internet blogs and over their CB radios, encouraging everyone to put their trucks in park in order to send the message to U.S. oil companies and the federal government.

"Make a stand, we're going to unite. It's something we've needed to do," said truck driver Carla Skipworth.

Diesel this week was at an average of more than $4 a gallon in Oregon and Washington and nearly $4.12 in California, according to the American Trucking Association. If a trucker is filling up a 300-gallon semi, that bill could top $1,200.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association says it has not called for strikes and gave no estimate of how many of its members might participate. "We do not tell our members what to do. They inform us of what they are doing and we support their decisions either way," said Norita Taylor, a spokeswoman for the group.

"It worries the hell out of me," said 10-year truck driver Stan Hall, of Salt Lake City. "It just seems like a nightmare. In my wildest dreams, I wouldn't have guessed it would get this bad."

Hall said his company restricts drivers to certain fuel stations, where it has negotiated discount diesel rates.

"They tell us not to buy fuel in California," Hall said. "We are supposed to buy only as much as we need to get out of there."

Web sites such as TruckDriversUnited.com, are asking truck drivers to band together in a nationwide strike this first week of April, and some drivers already are planning to stop their trucks for a few hours early Tuesday.

"We keep getting e-mail every day from more and more who say they will shut down," Dan Little, owner of Little & Little Trucking of Carrollton, Mo. told the Indianapolis Star, "It's not only the truckers that are getting involved in this. We're getting e-mails from others, too. They tell me they plan to stay home on April 1."

Mike Card, president of Combined Transport in Medford, has 388 tractor-trailers in the company. He says the company is spending $2 million a month on fuel.

To help offset the costs Combined Transport has discount agreements with some fuel stops and installs tires, aerodynamic body parts and anti-idling devices that make the trucks more fuel-efficient. The company also reduced the maximum speed for its trucks to save on fuel.

More than 100 truckers and others rallied on the steps of the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg Monday, asking lawmakers to cut state taxes on their fuel.

Some truckers drove around the Capitol, blasting their horns in protest, but the state argues it needs the tax revenue to repair roads and bridges.

"There is a disproportionate burden placed on small business owners who are truck drivers because they depend upon diesel to run their businesses," said Norita Taylor, a spokeswoman for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

George Vincent, 44, a driver from Monroe, Mich., said he doesn't support the trucker strike because he fears it will "throw the economy into a spiral."

Vincent said he copes by spending more time on the road. "I don't know how some people are making it. I have to work more to earn less."

[rusty lee]

didn't truckers strike back in the 70's?  I drove and wrenched on trucks for 10 years glad I got out it must be hard for owner operators to survive. but like they say if you got it a truck brought it.

[TruckDriver]

didn't truckers strike back in the 70's?  I drove and wrenched on trucks for 10 years glad I got out it must be hard for owner operators to survive. but like they say if you got it a truck brought it.

Yes they did. I am not kidding, all of the owner operators that I know here have sold their trucks. Every one of them. They can't afford it anymore. Even a few small companys near me are hurting and are on the edge. 

[Brock Samson]

Aloha Air just went belly up due to fuel costs stranding folks holding their tickets in hawaii so i would have to say this isn't the last shoe to drop due to the higher fuel costs. there's a few places here selling reg. for $ 4.11 per Gal. 

[Todd Wilson]

I hope they pull it off and get some attention. Something needs to be done. A trucker friend I know says its hard to compete. You bid a job this week and show up next week to haul it and fuel has went up. Bidding is really tight and sometimes with the increase in fuel you are losing money hauling the load hoping you can make it up on the next one.

The railroads are also feeling it as my railroad I work for has put on a order of slower speed on all trains and you can only move the throttle in the upwards notches at certain speeds.



Todd

[BB1]

We still run 70mph 


BNSF

[Lowprofile]

Being an owner/operator, I can tell you all that its getting very bad for many truckers out here. Fuel prices are just part of it. Dishonest brokers who don't "pass along" the fuel surcharge to the o/o, but instead keep some or all of it is a huge problem! We in the trucking community have been trying for years to get lawmakers to pass legislation banning this practice, but to no avail. The average new truck cost around $130,000 dollars.....Fuel at $4.00+ a gallon, truck service, insurance, tires, etc... keep going up thru the roof! Yet, the prices shippers are willing to pay don't come close to covering the expenses for many truckers. I have many friends who have thrown in the towel. The days of the independent trucker might be going the way of the dinosaur.

[defiance]

My parents own a small (~15-20 trucks) trucking company with mostly owner-operators, and they plan to close the doors and liquidate as soon as their most recent batch of tags expire.  As margins have gone down, not only have they had to make cuts, but the driver margins have gone down as well, and turnover has gone up, along with all the problems that come with turnover (training, disciplinary issues, delivery consistency, accident rates, etc.etc.etc.).  They've also got a pallett repair business that's basically carrying the trucking company right now.  The trucks are putting in between -10% and +20% of their income, while taking up around 85% of their time to operate...  Too much trouble, no return.

Sad, but it's the state of affairs.

Even without the strike, I'm sure there are plenty of others in the same situation, so in the end there won't be enough trucks to carry what needs to get carried...

[my73charger]

My dad was an owner/operator in the 70's when the last strike took place.  He owned two rigs.  I hope they pull this off.

[Mike DC]

 
They can't fight the price of oil & gas & diesel.  Too many powerful forces invested in that.


They might get somewhere if they focus on the industry practices that aggravate the issue for the independents.

[Old Moparz]

Might have a lot to do with allowing Mexican trucking companies entering the USA.   

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54411

Think about it, the wage will be substantially lower & easily make up for any fuel cost differences.   

[LeeBoy]

 
They can't fight the price of oil & gas & diesel.  Too many powerful forces invested in that.


They might get somewhere if they focus on the industry practices that aggravate the issue for the independents.

If this strike happens and I hope it does, the powers that be will react when the country comes to a standstill and that is a fact! Make the politicians that work for us earn their over inflated salaries and do something for us! 

[Troy]

 
They can't fight the price of oil & gas & diesel.  Too many powerful forces invested in that.


They might get somewhere if they focus on the industry practices that aggravate the issue for the independents.

If this strike happens and I hope it does, the powers that be will react when the country comes to a standstill and that is a fact! Make the politicians that work for us earn their over inflated salaries and do something for us! 

What exactly should the politicians do about it? A better question is: what can they do about it? Other than grandstanding for the public there is really very little they can do. Oh, I guess they could clear the way for more refineries but that would require some foresight and they'd still have to convince some oil company to invest billions in building one (unlikely since the current approach is to mandate them out of existence). I'm wondering why our politicians don't spend more time doing their jobs instead of wasting taxpayer money on stuff like baseball and the price of gas/oil. If the truckers can't afford to drive then they should strike - but, as I am always telling my co-workers, solve the right problem. The cost of goods keeps rising so the money is going somewhere. If it isn't making it to the pockets of the driver then where did it stop in the chain?

Troy

[LeeBoy]

 
They can't fight the price of oil & gas & diesel.  Too many powerful forces invested in that.


They might get somewhere if they focus on the industry practices that aggravate the issue for the independents.

If this strike happens and I hope it does, the powers that be will react when the country comes to a standstill and that is a fact! Make the politicians that work for us earn their over inflated salaries and do something for us! 

What exactly should the politicians do about it? A better question is: what can they do about it? Other than grandstanding for the public there is really very little they can do. Oh, I guess they could clear the way for more refineries but that would require some foresight and they'd still have to convince some oil company to invest billions in building one (unlikely since the current approach is to mandate them out of existence). I'm wondering why our politicians don't spend more time doing their jobs instead of wasting taxpayer money on stuff like baseball and the price of gas/oil. If the truckers can't afford to drive then they should strike - but, as I am always telling my co-workers, solve the right problem. The cost of goods keeps rising so the money is going somewhere. If it isn't making it to the pockets of the driver then where did it stop in the chain?

Troy

I'm sure the government doesn't want to do anything about it because they are getting their pockets filled.

[derailed]

Its a great idea, however the chances of it being pulled off are slim and none. Tuesday will come and go and ill bet most people wont even know it was in the works. The problem is that its to much of a cut throat industry and I don't think the unity will be there to pull it off. Theres to many guys out there hauling for beans and its been that way for a long time even before fuel prices got ridiculous. All those years of hauling "cheap freight" is catching up.

[sick dawg]

I live in the Washington, DC area and diesel is $1.00 a gallon higher than regular gas here.
If they want to get noticed, do like tractor man did here about three years ago. Take DC hostage! I think tractor man was in every paper in the country.  Bring the trucks to DC and park them on every major route into and out of the city for the day. I think they would get a lot of respect.  I would call in sick or take emergency vacation that day before I would go to work and jack up truckers!

[RD]

i didnt see many trucks on the road when i came into work, as they were parked on the side of the road... of course it was 5 am and they were sleeping?  I wonder if they slept all day hehehehe

[Vainglory, Esq.]

I'm sympathetic.  I'm sure it's a very hard time right now.  What I don't see is how a strike would help anything.  No mention was made in the posted article about what the truckers want other than the vague implication that they want diesel prices lower by hook or by crook; and the government should "do something."  That sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

One problem solved, another grows in its place. 

[Charger_Fan]

I live in the Washington, DC area and diesel is $1.00 a gallon higher than regular gas here.

It's about 80 cents higher than the cheapest unleaded here in Salt Lake, the signs at most stations are between $3.95 & $3.99. It makes me glad I'm not an owner operator right now. I couldn't imagine paying over a grand to fill my tanks.

[Troy]

 
They can't fight the price of oil & gas & diesel.  Too many powerful forces invested in that.


They might get somewhere if they focus on the industry practices that aggravate the issue for the independents.

If this strike happens and I hope it does, the powers that be will react when the country comes to a standstill and that is a fact! Make the politicians that work for us earn their over inflated salaries and do something for us! 

What exactly should the politicians do about it? A better question is: what can they do about it? Other than grandstanding for the public there is really very little they can do. Oh, I guess they could clear the way for more refineries but that would require some foresight and they'd still have to convince some oil company to invest billions in building one (unlikely since the current approach is to mandate them out of existence). I'm wondering why our politicians don't spend more time doing their jobs instead of wasting taxpayer money on stuff like baseball and the price of gas/oil. If the truckers can't afford to drive then they should strike - but, as I am always telling my co-workers, solve the right problem. The cost of goods keeps rising so the money is going somewhere. If it isn't making it to the pockets of the driver then where did it stop in the chain?

Troy

I'm sure the government doesn't want to do anything about it because they are getting their pockets filled.

You missed the point. Dig out a high school American Government textbook - or try Google - and find the part about the government's power in this situation. Lots of them want to do something (or at least pretend like it so they can get re-elected) but they don't have any authority. The only thing they can do is repeal some of the tax incentives that have been awarded to the oil companies. But then, how do you think the oil companies will recoup their losses? Raise prices?

Diesel here is about 83 cents more than regular unleaded which makes it hard to drive the Ram even though it gets better mileage than anything else I own.

Troy

[Mike DC]

 
I agree.  Oil is too much of a privately controlled industry for Congress to just whip out a pen and rewrite the price of gas when it becomes a problem. 

Aside from monkeying with the taxes directly on the gas (already a pretty small part of the total price as I understand it), the gov't can only manipulate it in more gradual indirect ways that wouldn't show themselves for years.

 

[Silver R/T]

 
They can't fight the price of oil & gas & diesel.  Too many powerful forces invested in that.


They might get somewhere if they focus on the industry practices that aggravate the issue for the independents.

If this strike happens and I hope it does, the powers that be will react when the country comes to a standstill and that is a fact! Make the politicians that work for us earn their over inflated salaries and do something for us! 

What exactly should the politicians do about it? A better question is: what can they do about it? Other than grandstanding for the public there is really very little they can do. Oh, I guess they could clear the way for more refineries but that would require some foresight and they'd still have to convince some oil company to invest billions in building one (unlikely since the current approach is to mandate them out of existence). I'm wondering why our politicians don't spend more time doing their jobs instead of wasting taxpayer money on stuff like baseball and the price of gas/oil. If the truckers can't afford to drive then they should strike - but, as I am always telling my co-workers, solve the right problem. The cost of goods keeps rising so the money is going somewhere. If it isn't making it to the pockets of the driver then where did it stop in the chain?

Troy

I'm sure the government doesn't want to do anything about it because they are getting their pockets filled.

EXACTLY!!! why would they stop their own income source?
I really hope this strike affects price of gas to go down. Best of luck to all the hard working truckers out there.

[Mudhawg]

but what happens the next day or the following day when they all have to fuel up again?

[derailed]

but what happens the next day or the following day when they all have to fuel up again?

Exactly, its a no win situation. Right now its either time to go work for someone else or hang the keys up and sell the truck. The rates in this industry need to be raised at least 200 percent to actually make it worth while and not just break even. Otherwise why bother even being out there. Yes you and I would pay more at the market but maybe this is what it would actually take to really wake people up and think a little differently when it comes to fuel conservation and them maybe you would see prices come down. The problem is the big companies like Schneider with a shitload of trucks out there and can haul for next to nothing and still make a small profit. No one is ever going to compete with these guys and survive. I watched a guy in my neighborhood last year go out and buy a tractor and leased it on with Dart. He has a family and I really wanted to talk him out of it but figured it wasn't my business. I gave him 6 months, it lasted 5 weeks.

[Todd Wilson]

We still run 70mph 


BNSF

Untill you guys run into something. About time to wad one up again here in Kansas isnt is?   



Todd