Here Is Heads Up.....................

[Emmett]

ON TRUCKERS STRIKE!!!!

Up until recently I had considered it merely a rumor due to discontent with fuel prices however I am running into more and more truckers who say that they ARE planning to take part in a national truck strike. This wouold NOT be good right now but I think these guysare serious!

Most of the independant truckers I talk to in passing about this subject seem to be upset the most about the cost of fuel for their trucks. Diesel fuel on average is 15 to 40 cents higher right now than gasoline even though it cost a fraction to produce of gas.

Everyone seems to acting very secretive and I expect they are aware that only a fraction of truckers will actually take part at first. The problem is that it will catch fast as soon as the press gets whiff of it! W will get the blame of course and at this time he is not prepared for this flank move. In my opinion this would bury any chance for R's holding a majority after November. A well organized effort could snowball fast. Truck drivers in general (even the R's) appear to feel betrayed by W and ar perched ready to blame him.

Personally I feel this will be a mistake to strike but I do agree that diesel prices are too high. Diesel fuel is not a discretionary expenditure for truckers. We have to have it. As the gas prices went up prople began to curb their appetites a little thereby creating a less influencial demand. Because of that, we came out of the Hurricane problem paying more for diesel than gas.

My advice is to write your congressman and Represenatives now before this happens. Ask tjem to consider a temporary relief of road use taxes and fuel taxes to help ease costs for truckers so as to head off this thing before it happens.

I have heard specu;ation that a date of May 15th is start date. I have heard other suggestions as well but most seem to indicate the May date. I am shocked that as much as I hear it being discussed out here on the road I haven't heard a single peep out the press yet.

Just a heads up. This is NOT a drill!

 

[MtnBiker]

Interesting.

Emmett, why might disiel fuel cost more at the pump if it cost less to produce?

Also, is it possible for drivers to increase their rates to compensate for a rise in fuel costs?

 

[Emmett]

Interesting.

Emmett, why might disiel fuel cost more at the pump if it cost less to produce?

Also, is it possible for drivers to increase their rates to compensate for a rise in fuel costs?

Well, the problem is BIG vs small! The small truckers, independants and two or three truck companies can't raise their rates because the big companies can afford to hold out longer and wa=lah, they scoop up their customers.

Just like with all indutries big can operate a location at little or no profit just to keep mom or pop from profitting down the street. This is the same thing that we saw through the 70's and 80's happen to small business.

The ramifications for small truckers are potentionally a disaster. As with all business buying in quanity has affected trucking as it applies to fuel. Large companies get discounts for quanity buying from the big oil companies while the little guy pays full price. Advertising to the owner operator is running rampid right now trying to get the little guy to lease on to the bigger companies. All trucker related media and magazines are littered with htese ads and owners are selling out every day.

It is a very difficult situation I believe.

 

[MtnBiker]

Are there services or benifits that a smaller company can offer that a larger company would have more diffuculty handling?

 

[Emmett]

Are there services or benifits that a smaller company can offer that a larger company would have more diffuculty handling?

Again my answer will seem generalized. You know how it is when you go to Granny's resturant for lunch. You actually see Granny in the back cooking the pot roast and taters. Aunt Maude is probably the cashier and the waitresses are Cousin Connie and Angela etc,.... They smile alot because they are playing a daily game of do or die! If they don't you won't go to the rest.

Been to Wendy's lately! You are met at the counter by a young person who dosen't give a f...... about your order. You unwrap your cheeseburger and it doesn't look anything like the picture on the menubaord. They plop it up on the counter and saying thank you disappeared years ago. BUT>>>>>>>>>>>>you go there! They are everywhere! Convienance!

Small trucking companies offer in a sense the same thing Granny offers. Service! Unfortunately, we live in a price based world. A small company cares because they have to do well. They live or die with every order. The problem is they can't operate at as cheap a rate as big companies usually and therefore cutomers sometimes will shop on them. They also are trying to keep costs cheap.

Hell , look at the world! In 30 years there will only be one company at the rate we're going. AT&T just married back up with Bell. Boy that makes deregulation a bit redundant does it not?

 

[Mr.Conley]

What percentage of trucks run on diesel?

 

[Said1]

What percentage of trucks run on diesel?

About 90% of them, if not more.


This is @Emmett:

It doesn't pay to be an independent today and it doesn't pay to be an employee so much anymore either. The smaller guys tend to pay more, but they need you to work a bit (lot) more too.

One thing we see up here a lot is a lot immigrants buying a truck and running it 24hrs a day with 3 or 4 of them in the cab taking turns driving it straight through to BC from Ontraio or Quebec. They under cut everyone and drive their trucks right into the ground. Real pitty.

 

[Emmett]

About 90% of them, if not more.


This is @Emmett:

It doesn't pay to be an independent today and it doesn't pay to be an employee so much anymore either. The smaller guys tend to pay more, but they need you to work a bit (lot) more too.

One thing we see up here a lot is a lot immigrants buying a truck and running it 24hrs a day with 3 or 4 of them in the cab taking turns driving it straight through to BC from Ontraio or Quebec. They under cut everyone and drive their trucks right into the ground. Real pitty.

It's beginning down here too. Of course an advantage in having a double team on one truck has been realized for years. Get twice as much out of one truck. I personally can't sleep in a rolling truck.

The small companies must continue to emphasize on service as it is their link to success. Price is still and always be the guiding force behind the purchasing of the transpotation product however. Success for small trans companies will be influenced by the existance of small business who purchases the product. Numbers show that a small manufacturer likes to use a smaller more service oriented company for delivery of their products to the marketplace. The presence of a friendly small business ideaology in free market America will be condusive with successful small transportation companies. Sounds like doubletalk but there is really something under the ink in this. We should all have a genuine interest in not seeing monopolies take this industry over but thats hard to accomplish and still have incentive for people to want to start these businesses.

 

[5stringJeff]

I'm sure most small/indy truckers know that diesel fuel is the exact same product as home heating oil, which sells on the open market for roughly 95 cents per gallon. I'm sure that, on short trips at least, they could use that and defray costs.

 

[archangel]

I'm sure most small/indy truckers know that diesel fuel is the exact same product as home heating oil, which sells on the open market for roughly 95 cents per gallon. I'm sure that, on short trips at least, they could use that and defray costs.

Diesel fuel .95 cents per gallon? Where do you buy fuel? I see diesel about the same price as 85 octan gas..average about $2.60( except where I live about 2.39...) per gallon as of today...minus fluctuation!

 

[5stringJeff]

Diesel fuel .95 cents per gallon? Where do you buy fuel? I see diesel about the same price as 85 octan gas..average about $1.60( except where I live about 1.39...) per gallon as of today...minus fluctuation!

Heating oil sells for around 95 cents a gallon, last I heard. Diesel at the gas stations around here costs around $2.60. But it's the exact same product. If that isn't price gouging, I don't know what is.

 

[archangel]

Heating oil sells for around 95 cents a gallon, last I heard. Diesel at the gas stations around here costs around $2.60. But it's the exact same product. If that isn't price gouging, I don't know what is.

I wasn't sure where you were coming from...now I see the light and agree...Greed will kill us all!