Truckers to protest fuel costs

Facing mounting diesel fuel costs and shrinking profits, some truckers nationwide are making plans to protest this week by parking their semis or clogging traffic by driving slowly.

The truckers say average diesel gas prices, which AAA reported had risen over the past month from $3.38 to $3.91 a gallon nationally as of Friday, are forcing some drivers out of business.


Independent trucker Bob Kuzniar, 60, of Churubusco, Ind., who drives a 200-gallon semitrailer, said that though there is no centrally organized effort, he has heard some truckers plan to call in sick today to protest. He said there are plans for truckers across the nation to pull over and park for two to three hours starting midnight on Tuesday.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley says he’s aware of the truckers’ protest plans but doesn’t think they will cause major traffic disruptions. His officers will be on the lookout for problems, he says, including motorists who might get frustrated if truckers slow traffic. “We just want to make sure that road rage isn’t going to be a problem,” Riley says.

USA Today