Community Forums

mjstef · 03-18-2008, 07:40 PM

Lets get this going nationwide!!! Most i know are shutting down Monday the 24th!! If you don't have a big rig at least don't buy any gas or diesel that day!

I was wondering when this would start happening. This could grow, and the big companies won't be able to keep up with the freight that the O/O's haul and Products that don't get to their destination on time or not at all will start a waterfall effect i/e food, gas. Then the public will start to demand something to be done to get the things they need and desire to the stores. I support all the truckers out there and hope that this will have a positive end.

http://www.fox24.com/newsvideo.asp?p...489&video=4125

http://www.fox24.com/article.asp?pkid=11489

mjstef · 03-18-2008, 07:40 PM

Lets get this going nationwide!!! Most i know are shutting down Monday the 24th!! If you don't have a big rig at least don't buy any gas or diesel that day!

I was wondering when this would start happening. This could grow, and the big companies won't be able to keep up with the freight that the O/O's haul and Products that don't get to their destination on time or not at all will start a waterfall effect i/e food, gas. Then the public will start to demand something to be done to get the things they need and desire to the stores. I support all the truckers out there and hope that this will have a positive end.

http://www.fox24.com/newsvideo.asp?p...489&video=4125

http://www.fox24.com/article.asp?pkid=11489

RedneckExpress · 03-18-2008, 09:27 PM

I hope this helps them, but with as few owner/operator based trucking firms here in Oregon, most of the corporates will continue to operate.

Companies, like Safeway/Vons, Kroger/Ralphs, etc, own their own truck fleets and distribution centers.

Ice-Man · 03-19-2008, 06:29 AM

Hi Guys and I too hope all works out for you.

We have the same issues here in England, our fuel prices are over £5 per gallon ($10) Protests have been running since before 2003 strongly supported by trucking companies and the general public, but still the prices continue to increase- the worst for us is that the taxation percentage is about 80%

All the very best of luck
Icey
in Blighty

MtManLee · 03-19-2008, 08:45 AM

To not buy fuel for this one day does absolutely nothing except make the business owner hurt causing him to lay off an employee causing more unemployment. When will people learn. You want to do something write your congressman and get everyone you know in you congress area to write your congressman and tell them we need refineries and that we need to keep our oil in the US and refine our own oil. Get that done and we would be fine.

ernestine sage · 03-19-2008, 09:16 AM

It's absolutely pathetic that our government is allowing this to happen, unfortunately, I doubt this will help.

The little guy always ends up paying and taking the blow where it hurts, in the pocketbook. I feel for the truckers out there trying to make a living. I've wondered when we would start seeing some action like this.

Good Luck to them!

D&J · 03-19-2008, 09:26 AM

Yes the price of fuel is high but fright company's place a fuel surcharge on EVERY FREIGHT DELIVERY. It goes up and down with the price of fuel. I know this for a fact because I was on the receiving end before I retired. I asked a driver once about it and it's added to every stop so if they make 15 stops everyone pays the charge, they make money on the surcharge.

Denny

Don (W5IT) · 03-19-2008, 09:41 AM

Denny, you are talking about the company drivers. Matt is talking about the "Owner Operators". They do not get a "Fuel Surcharge". Most of the loads they get are from "Load Boards" or "Brokers". If you were able to look at the prices on these boards the drivers/owner operators get you would see what Matt is talking about.

The larger companies are not the ones who are being put out of business. It is the "Little guy" or independant. (As usual

)

Tom N · 03-19-2008, 10:26 AM

Any message or email that states !!!Please pass this all over the internet!!! SHOULD BE SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR RECYCLE BIN!!!, IMHO.

-Tom

SeeTheUSA · 03-19-2008, 11:53 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom N:
Any message or email that states !!!Please pass this all over the internet!!! SHOULD BE SENT DIRECTLY TO YOUR RECYCLE BIN!!!, IMHO.

-Tom </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Moder2 · 03-19-2008, 12:15 PM

I agree a campaign such as this will be of little help.

To clarify the Fuel Surcharge is NOT a money maker even for the "Big" companies. It barely covers the extra cost of the fuel, and is usually a percentage based on the national average which is normally far less than what most are buying fuel for locally. $4.00 a gallon fuel hurts hard, when I was managing trucking companies at $2.00 a gallon it was hard to make a profit.

John

LindaH · 03-19-2008, 01:15 PM

Here's what Snopes has to say about a 1-day gas boycott.

Here's a similar urban legend about boycotting selected oil companies.

Rick A · 03-19-2008, 02:53 PM

Well, here is my take on it. Gas and oil supplies are at 15 year highs and demand is down 1% from the same time last year. We are already using less fuel and prices are still going up. This goes against all the fundementals of supply and demand. If that does not bring prices down, waiting one day to buy your fuel will not work.

mjstef · 03-19-2008, 04:42 PM

I don't personally care what any of the oil co.s think.... Nor do I care what anyone else really does. If your not in the position of driving up to the pump and pumping out a thousand dollars at a time then you can't really see the whole picture. I know it sucks to pump on $120+ bucks into the pickup. But imagine how it feels to get $1000 worth. That lasts maybe 2 days if your lucky!!90 You CAN"T work hard enough with todays freight rates to make anything.... And NO - Your not going to get JB, Schnieder, Werner or any other big co.s to do it... But if all of us o/o across this USA would stop. It might cause a small rise, but before too long... There would be more than a noticeable amount of fuel not being sold and there would be a dramatic amount of goods not being delivered. There are 1000's of o/o in this country and we could get noticed by all for the amount of work that we do and what is delivered across this country by us.... The figures don't compute. As far as % of dollars spent by a working man for fuel to work, etc. and dollars spent for an O/O to keep himself employed and that truck moving. There are too many 60 mph trucks and 100 mph dispatchers that think that we don't need any sleep and we can run over and above the law and all. You hear frequently - If you don't want work - Then get out from under that load and I will put somebody under it that is willing to work and knows how to do the job as instructed without question. In theory - You are supposed to do whatever it takes to feed your family, pay your bills, and the rest without question or regard for anything or anyone else. Thats why "we" as truck drivers have the reputation of being addicted drug addicts that NEVER sleep and are out to get it there no matter what. The old idea of -If the wheels ain't turnin' - You ain't earnin'.... That is all off nowadays... Now if they are turnin' your losin' your butt... It is still a cut-throat business out there. Because if you raise your rates to where they should be - There is always someone waiting to do it cheaper. And thats all in the wonderful world of trucking...