Diesel Fuel Prices +

cyclone5

New Member
Have y' all happed to notice the way fuel prices just keep going up and yet the price for what is offered for a load is not nearly equal to what is spent getting it there?? Maybe I am alone in this one but I really do feel like there should be something done about it...Also we have somedrivers who will undercut the price of a load so that they actually end up paying for taking the load instead of getting paid to , take the load...Operating at a loss. Taxes and expenses keep going up therefore so should the price for what we haul a load for....!! Even if the cost of crued oil goes down, for some reason the price of diesel doesn't drop nearly as much as it should. All it would take is for drivers for one time in there life to come together and not move for three days, nationwide and I promise you then someone would actually Do something, besides laugh as they continue to jack up the price of fuel!!!
 
Freight rates don't need to go up due to fuel costs, as long as you are getting the fuel surcharge. If you can't get the fuel surcharge on a load, don't pull it. If you are leased to a company that isn't getting you the full fuel surcharge on every load, don't pull their freight.

You should be getting about .51 per mile right now as a surcharge rate.

Freight Rates and fuel prices shouldn't be in the same conversation.

As for undercutting, that has been going on since truck drivers screamed for de-regulation, and then got their wish. It allowed for pure capitalism to go to work. Now drivers want the government to step back in and control things.
 
I agree with what bullwinkle said, myself i am getting .52 from my company. try and get that surcharge and be sure of what your getting before you haul that load.
 
4.09 thats outrageous. i am laid over in Midland Texas tonight and it is still running about 3.59 to 3.63 here.
 
4.09 thats outrageous. i am laid over in Midland Texas tonight and it is still running about 3.59 to 3.63 here.

If you are headed toward DFW you might want to fuel there. Prices here are over 3.80
 
Agree with the comments on the fuel surcharge. If you are not getting the full amount, don't haul the freight. If you do, and you struggle to make a living, the only person you can blame is yourself.
 
hey drivers

I'm new to this site.tossed around the idea of driving school.does a newby have a fighting chance at a good living.fuel prices is my guess why it's not possible.i'd rather not roll into another dead-end career experience.if anyone can help me with this understanding,PLEASE REPLY.thank you very much.:dunno:
 
I'm new to this site.tossed around the idea of driving school.does a newby have a fighting chance at a good living.fuel prices is my guess why it's not possible.i'd rather not roll into another dead-end career experience.if anyone can help me with this understanding,PLEASE REPLY.thank you very much.:dunno:

Sure you have a chance at a good career. Just do things the smart way.

Being new, fuel prices shouldn't be a major concern for you, as I woudl recommend you be a company driver for a year or so to learn the job, and learn about the industry. During that time, if you plan on owning your own rig, do plenty of research.

Also, while you are driving for a company, track the costs involved in operating that truck. Get a good idea of what is involved in owning a truck, before you actually purchase one.
 
If you are headed toward DFW you might want to fuel there. Prices here are over 3.80

I'm new to this site.tossed around the idea of driving school.does a newby have a fighting chance at a good living.fuel prices is my guess why it's not possible.i'd rather not roll into another dead-end career experience.if anyone can help me with this understanding,PLEASE REPLY.thank you very much.:dunno:
Thanks for the heads up bullwinkle. I am still laid over here in Midland hopefully i can leave out tonight sometime. as of right now i am fueled with my trailer hooked up with no place to go and i hate that.

But easylivn you sure can make a decent living off of driving, now it is not going to be what your name says but it will be decent. like was already said you have to be smart about it an try and sign on with a good company. treat it as you would any other business venture. before you sign on be sure you can live with that company for the next year or so. be sure everything that matters you like the look of. some companies require new drivers with no experince to sign on for a year or 2 and if you walk they make you pay or at least thats how it was in my day.
 
I'm new to this site.tossed around the idea of driving school.does a newby have a fighting chance at a good living.fuel prices is my guess why it's not possible.i'd rather not roll into another dead-end career experience.if anyone can help me with this understanding,PLEASE REPLY.thank you very much.

fuel prices WILL involve you, and here's how.

as a soon to be new driver, you WILL BE TOLD, NOT TO IDLE, and follow the speed limits. any excessive idling, the company will know this real quick, by at least 2 ways...

1, they will see how many miles you travel, how many times you re-fuel, how many gallons it takes, when you submit the paperwork.

2, they may already have a monitoring computer installed that will tell them this via any satelite connection they have.

so you ain't gonna hide much, and frankly, DON'T TRY....

many trucking companies will pay you a fuel mileage bonus for meeting thier goal.......so work towards that. because over time, that quarter penny, or half penny WILL ADD UP nicely over time.....

the actual fuel price's of today (or tomorrow) will pretty much affect you more if you were to ever own your own truck.........

so start learning right out the box, to conserve fuel, and earn "bonus's".......
 
I heard from an independant trucker friend of mine that a strike on 4-14-08 is planned.. It is to start in Texas. have you heard about this?
 
I heard from an independant trucker friend of mine that a strike on 4-14-08 is planned.. It is to start in Texas. have you heard about this?

LOL,

Just got finished posting about this. The most common date for this strike is April 1

I have been emailed, though the "contact us" link on the site about 20 times regarding this strike, and have seen several different dates. Unfortunately, this is what happens when things get planned on the CB radio.

See the above link for the best info I have, and my thoughts on it.
 
LOL,

Just got finished posting about this. The most common date for this strike is April 1

I have been emailed, though the "contact us" link on the site about 20 times regarding this strike, and have seen several different dates. Unfortunately, this is what happens when things get planned on the CB radio.

See the above link for the best info I have, and my thoughts on it.

I saw your post after I posted my question.
I am all for a strike.. you guys are getting screwed!
 
Good Morning drivers ,
i saw a price today in Rochester NH for 420 a gallon you all should strike but not on april 1st because people won't believe it i wish you guys and gals all the luck in the world
i don't drive but my hubby does local but i hear the horror stories everyday as i work at a truckstop good luck keep your heads up
 
Have y' all happed to notice the way fuel prices just keep going up and yet the price for what is offered for a load is not nearly equal to what is spent getting it there??

Have you noticed that there is a fuel surcharge to cover the increased fuel costs? For this past week it was .54/mile. For every nickel that fuel goes up, the surcharge goes up 1 cent per mile. If you are not getting it, the only person you can blame for you troubles is yourself.

Personally, I know these fuel costs are screwing up our economy, but I am not going to let it screw up my business. I have a minimum rate that I will haul freight for, and only under certain circumstances will I not stick to that. That rate has nothing to do with the surcharge though. The surcharge is above and beyond, and meant to cover the extra fuel cost, not the rest of the costs of running my business.

In all honesty, the more they raise fuel costs, the more money I am making because I am getting great fuel economy from my truck thanks to my driving habits, and thanks to investments I have made into improving the fuel economy. This means I am making increased profits as this surcharge goes up.

And I need those extra profits, because they are being taken away from me at the cash register when I buy things not related to my business (groceries, clothing, etc..)

We need to get fuel costs down, not to fix the trucking industry, but to fix the economy. I will be damned if I am going shut my business down though, unless every American in the United States quits buying fuel (and that means diesel, gasoline, natural gas, kerosene, propane... All of it)
 

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