Rising Diesel Fuel Prices Driving Independent Truckers Crazy

11 Comments on "Rising Diesel Fuel Prices Driving Independent Truckers Crazy"

Kenz300 on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 2:00 am 



The large trucking companies are replacing their diesel powered trucks with trucks that run on LNG. They are saving enough in fuel costs the first year to pay for the added expense of the LNG truck.

WalMart, FedEx, UPS, Staples and Waste Management are moving to a combination of electric, CNG and LNG vehicles when old vehicles are retired from use.

The small independent trucker will be caught in a squeeze. The big trucking companies can afford to upgrade to LNG powered vehicles. The small guy can not.

Mike999 on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 2:21 am 



Aero add on’s should help.

Sharpie on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 4:05 am 



Independent truckers will need to seek different jobs I suppose, unless they enjoy complaining about fuel and forking over half of their income on it. Simply a repeat from 2008. Nothing has changed, especially our habits.

Barring a lengthy depression (which we’re in or headed for eventually) I don’t see prices testing the ultra cheap levels we saw in the mid ’80s to early 2000s (and late 2008 – early 2009). Oh well.

BillT on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 4:30 am 



Trucking on 16 wheelers is a dying career. We will eventually go back to train transport to warehouses and then local deliveries by smaller trucks, possibly power electrically. We shall see.

DC on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 5:57 am 



More ceaseless whining about an unsustainable form of transport. If diesel trucks were being used (primarily) for LOCAL transport, that is to say, moveing goods from large central hubs, that is to say RAIL hubs, then the high cost of diesel would be something the economy could ‘afford’.

But that is not what these guys do. They haul plastic salad shooters from ports and drive them thousands of miles, often with little or no rest, and at cut-throat rates set by the 1% and there corporatations, and they are suprised that business model has problems? What to the corps that hire these ‘independents’ do? They externalize costs. They pay these schmuks a set rate for fuel. w/e, when fuel goes up, they say, sorry our hands are tied…we signed a contract. Tuff for the ‘trucker’.

Now back when we moved things by rail, which highly efficent and also prone to unionization, the 1% felt it would be a lot better(profitable)…(for them), to get rid of rail, cept hauling coal and whatnot, and replace them extremely in-efficent diesel trucks for 3000 mile trips, and almost all run either the corp itself, or by these ‘independents’ that of course, never heard of a what a union even is. The independants get to finance the trucks, and work for conditions that are only a few steps away from medival, and the 1% got to screw everybody. And naturally, there friends in fossil-fuel cartel didnt mind one bit since all those cludgy trucks run on there product. Even the rail system is diesel powered in N.A., so really, they got us screwed from every angle….

dsula on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 10:54 am 



DC, the 1% decided….dude you lost it, please turn the internet off and try to find a job different from burger flippin.

BillT on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 1:13 pm 



dsula, the 1% are running scared that the whole game will collapse before they are ready for it. After all, what is owning a factory or mine worth if there is no need for the product/ore? What if their billions won’t buy a hamburger? What if Mother Nature declares them obsolete and takes them out along with the rest of us? No-one has figured out how to take it with them. The race is on and the 1% know they are losing.

Rick on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 5:56 pm 



These truckers, like most in the US, don’t see what’s coming. This is just the beginning.

Side note: I’m seeing more people turning off their engines while stopped at a red light, etc. If those who drive BMWs.

MrEnergyCzar on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 6:49 pm 



Those switching to LNG may be surprised to see nat. gas prices soar again since those fracking wells peak so quickly…

MrEnergyCzar

Poordogabone on Mon, 1st Oct 2012 8:27 pm 



They would save a shitload of $ by easing on the pedals. I see truckers driving their rig like they’re handling a Ferrari. As a matter of fact everything needs to slow down.

Newfie on Tue, 2nd Oct 2012 9:09 pm 



The global economy is an oil based Ponzi scheme. Growth is fuelled by ever increasing amounts of oil. We all know how it is going to end.