Apr 20, 2008 8:26 pm US/Central
Truckers Protest High Diesel Prices
BALTIMORE, Md. (CBS) ―
Recently hundreds of truckers protested on Capitol Hill, demanding
lawmakers provide relief from pain at the pump they say is threatening
to shut down their businesses.
With gas prices continuing to soar higher each week, new records are hit and shattered on a constant basis. The average national price of a gallon of regular-octane gas is $3.503, according to AAA. But if you think that's tough, try filling your tank with diesel. The cost of an average gallon is $4.05.
"It's like 55 to 60% of your earnings going in the tank and it's crazy," said driver Shawn Minck.
Robert Wilson owns a towing company but says the only thing being hauled out is his profit. He, like others, says rising diesel fuel is driving out their business.
"I don't know how much longer we can hold out if something doesn't happen one way or the other. It's really getting hard to hold out," Wilson said.
For Minck, filling up his truck costs $1,100, causing him to cut back.
"I don't even fill it up anymore. I just put enough in to make the next trip. After I deliver it, I get the next load. I figure out how much it takes me to put fuel in from there," Minck said.
That's why for drivers like Julie Sosbe, working for a company is keeping her afloat.
"It's a safety net. It's a big safety net. I don't have to worry about paying the charges. I mean, I saw a guy fuel up [for] $700," she said.
Truckers say since many are transporting things we want or need, expect to see higher fuel prices affecting things we buy.
This week, Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain called for a gas tax holiday that would suspend the federal gas tax and diesel tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
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