Drivers may park trucks due to cost of diesel

The high cost of fuel has hit everyone hard, and it doesn’t look like the prices are going to come down any time soon.Fed up with the high price of diesel fuel, truckers are talking about parking their trucks for one day, Monday, March 24.“It’s spreading like wildfire across the CB,” said owner-operator Tom Bark of Apple Valley.

“Coast to coast, they’re talking about it.

“I guess the American people have to wake up and realize that without trucks, everything is going to come to a stop. If we stop rolling, we’ll be in trouble.”

Bark, who spoke with the News on Thursday from Baltimore, was in the midst of a 4 1/2-day run from California to Maryland. After spending the last 32 years driving, Bark said he’ll park his truck on March 24.

“I’m like all these other guys; I’m fed up and I’m going to park the truck,” he said. “My wheels are turning, but I’m just spinning.”

Bark said the run from California to Maryland used to pay $8,000; now, it pays $2,200, about $1 a mile. To break even, Bark said he needs to make about $3.20 a mile; to make a profit, at least $4.

read more | digg story

Washington bill targets unsafe intrastate truckers

Unsafe trucking companies are the subject of a bill headed to Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire’s desk.

The Senate voted 42-4 to approve a bill – HB1304 – that would make it easier to shut down trucking operations in the state with faulty trucks and people who drive them recklessly. The House then voted 82-11 to sign off on changes to the bill, clearing the way for the bill to head to the governor.

Washington state law currently allows companies operating solely intrastate to avoid many of the same tough requirements as those companies that operate interstate.

I don't see a damn thing wrong with a bill like this, do you? This is one thing that needs to be addressed nationwide if it is not already. Especially if these Mexican Trucks start running.
I mean I used to hate to go to Texas, and run through some of those hole in the wall towns close to the border, where the trucks would have the fenders flopping all over. Scared the hell out of me to be on the highway with them.

Read more here; Washington bill targets unsafe intrastate truckers