High Fuel Costs Threaten Bankruptcy for Truckers

High fuel costs

If the price of fuel is driven by demand, the government could help by parking some of the vehicles they are using, perhaps even carpool. Also the post office moves alot of unnecessary mail, for instance mutible mailings from non-profit organizations. Maybe a ban on political mailings that come everyday.

Put up or shut up

In the 1970's ... OPEC and "them" screamed there was an "oil shortage" ... remember that?? The price of gas aint been the same since. Long lines, expensive fuels, and some fat cat getting fatter on the backs of the working American public. Some people I have talked with say we should tax the hell outta the incoming fuels, but that would only raise the price even more.

Some folks think there should be a boycott from buying fuel. Personally I would love to see all my brother and sister truckers shut down for about 2 weeks. Talk about being able to name your price for transporting goods.... BUT... the down side of that would be higher consumer prices. Everythings going up but our paychecks...

I have heard somethings about when the "experts" think we will be peaking on the quantiy of oil in the ground and its anywhere from 7 to 22 years or so before we have exhausted half the oil in the ground. Once we hit that peak, and the down hill slide begins, it will go fast simply because of the worlds population increases. Petroloeum based transportation HAS a limited life span. If not in our lifetime, in our grandchildrens.

we the American People MUST , I say MUST!!!, get our federal spokespersons to do TWO things. Provide funding and resources for alternative ways to power engines or create new engines, AND Secondly they MUST find a way to control the unnecessary greed of out of country companies. Remeber the old saying... "BUY AMERICAN.. THE JOB YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN" .... well that time has come and gone, I lost mine to China back in 01 along with 650 of my fellow employee's.

Greed will be the downfall of the American public. SHort of a major world war, things look bleak and desperate for our children and grandchildren.... Is this the legacy we want to be known for?

The taxes we pay now, percentage wise, are far beyond what they were back when our forefathers held the Boston Tea Party. America, its time to take a stand!!! You are either With U.S. ... or you are Against U.S. ... Pick a side.

Still making profit

The way to stay in business is to NOT haul cheap freight. I plan my trips in advance and know when I'll be back home and have loads at every point. It's not that hard, but it does take some time to work it all out. Also, I use a company in my hometown that helps with fuel cost. My out of pocket cost under their plan is $3.00 per gallon. I've never seen such an unorthodox program that they have. It's like pre-paying for fuel, just like pre-paying for phone calling cards. Actually, without this added reduction in the cost of diesel, I too would be in a bad financial situation. But, here is the actual problem, the federal reserve that prints our money has printed too much and bailed out the banks that made bad loans and our money will not buy what it use to buy. Until they are brought back under control and the IRS abolished, we will be doomed to a future with $8 to $15 per gallon of fuel and a $20 loaf of bread. It's going to happen, and a great many in the transportation industry will go bankrupt. The regular folks that do not know that without trucks America will stop will shortly wake up to the fact. when their hometown store shelves are empty. The railroad is NOT the answer, the delay in shipping will far exceed the 7 days that the receivers will accept, and too many loads will be rejected on the spot. I can't say what the solution is, except don't haul any load that will not make you a profit, and find other ways to offset the cost of fuel like I did. Any trucker MUST find every way he/she can to offset the cost of fuel, and in this industry it takes upwards of an extra $5,000 per month from other sources. I'm fortunate that I have found a way to do that, and because of it, I could be the only truck left on the road by next year.

FOOD,GAS OR DOCTOR,MEDICINE

People who does not have a 60,000 income is strugging to get by. Its getting so bad its like we have to chose what will it be going to the doctor or buy the gas ,or food we need. I have never seen the world in such a mess. I dont know who,s to blame or if it would even help to blame any one. If they dont do something soon it will be the worest depression that USA has ever seen. We take things for granted and ever thing in the bible is true. Its something that no one can do nothing about.You can sit and worry about it and talk but for gas to be back like 3 years ago we will never see. America has all ways been the land of plenty and now its the land of the mess

Trans-Load

Very few articles have been written about how shippers and truckers are using trans-load resources to reduce their total cost.

1. A typical shipment is picked up by truck and deliveried to a trans-load terminal. 2. The trans-load terminal consoldiates 3 to 5 trucks loads into one rail car.

3. The rail car is shipped to either directly to the client's rail site or to another trans-load terminal "close to the customer". One ther, it is trans-loaded back into truck, for final delivery.

Trans-loading reduces 3 to 5 long distance truck movements, since the commodity's longest shipment portion is by rail.

It usually cost less, but does take longer

Reduces emissions generated from 3 to 5 trucks

Reduces driver shortages

It is more challenging to manage, but worth the effort

It permits the shipper to enjoy the convenience of truck's pickup & delivery with the more fuel effective lower rail cost.

Seamless freight billing, "between the trucking firm, transload terminal and the railroads" can be established.

We are surprised that so many shippers and trucking firms, continue to pay higher and higher fuel cost, and are not exploring this alternative.

trucking failures

Trucking companies historically close in January(After the Holiday season) and in July (when federal highway use taxes are due.) The industry is currently operating on life support and you will see a massive wave of closures after July 4 of this year. If you think cost of goods in stores are high now hold on to your hats you've seen nothing yet. The sad thing is congress knows this is coming and is doing nothing about it. They've got theirs the heck with the rest of us

OIL PRICES AND ORGANIZED CRIME

THESE CRIMINALS WHO ARE AT FAULT IN DRIVING OIL PRICES UP NEED TO BE DRAGGED FROM THERE HOMES AND STONED TO DEATH. A REVOLUTION IS COMMING REAL SOON LETS SEE IF THERE MONEY WILL SAVE THEM THEN. THEY WILL NEVER BELIEVE WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEM ONCE ITS GETS STARTED ALL OF THESE PEOPLE AND THERE FAMILIES WILL BE DESTROYED IN THE MOST VOILENT OF FORMS AND IT WILL BE NOTHING NO ONE CAN DO. ITS ALOT MORE OF US THAN IT IS OF THEM. FROM A FORMER MARINE WHO WILL BE LEADING THE WAY, TO THE END

Reducing Traffic

Its not all bad. It will be nice to have quieter streets with fewer cars. You can go out for a walk without idiots teenagers screaming out the window at you. The air will be fresher. There are silver linings in every problem.

I laugh when I read these comments that blame congress. The problem isnt congres it is OPEC. They have a strangle hold on crude oil.

Another thought...the Pro Population Reducers should be celebrating our fool hardy attempts at creating Ethanol from corn. Reduced food crops means reduced reproduction and the babies who are already here will likely starve to death. So what if they suffer while they struggle to live. Once they're dead it will be one less person consuming our precious resources. Get out the band and lets celebrate that. (Insert sarcasm heavily!)

Time to start transporting goods on rails and how about getting light rail into every city and suburb. As the price of fuel goes up its the poor who wind up suffering. They cant get to their $8.00 an hour job because they cant afford transportation. This all might be a hidden blessing...maybe someone will actually implement some constructive ideas to make our cities more habitable with walking paths and public transportation.

comercial drivers and their rigs

Here's a thought, since the US subsadizes agriculture, why cant we subsadize truckers of big rigs with a window tag distributer from their respective state DMV's which alows truckers to buy at nationwide fuel stations at a greatly reduced price. Comercial liscensed vehicles only. Then the nation could get back on its feet as everything would drop in price respective to transportation costs. Duh

What we need is education

I have not read a single comment by anyone above who has a clue as to the real issue here with energy in the world. Folks you need to get some education. Simply putting controls on price, or blaming oil companies is absurd and will not solve a single thing. It may make us feel good, but it won't lower prices a penny in the long-run. We need to wake up and develop a serious energy policy. One that will truly make us independent of a single fuel. And forget about the idea we are going to magically wean ourselves of oil. We are always going to need crude oil. But solar is probably the best solution to oil. Wind is silly... when you need the power it is not windy. All these crazy bio-fuels simply create unintended consequences like food shortages. Let's be logical here... it is not that difficult. Mobilize a national committment to find solutions that can be achieved in 10 years. If we had spent as much money on finding an alternative to oil as we have spent in Iraq, I guarantee we would now have a serious alternative to oil. I just don't understand why this very simple idea cannot get through to Congress. And it is not big oil... stop blaming others for our moron's in Congress. Get some education... think for yourself!!! Stop listening to politicians or TV news... these people are living in the twilight zone.