Fuel costs slam brakes on trucking

ST. GEORGE — The failure of many independent trucking companies can be tied directly to the rising cost of gas and diesel fuel, said American Trucking Association president Bill Graves during the annual Utah Trucking Association conference held in St. George on Thursday.

"Every time we see fuel spikes, truckers go out of business," said Graves, a former two-term governor of Kansas who said he grew up in a trucking family.

Twenty percent of the gas and diesel fuel consumed in America, or 50 billion gallons, is used by the nation's trucking industry, he added. A far larger amount — 74 percent — is consumed by those driving passenger cars.

"We're now experiencing 5- to 10-cent swings in one day. That adds up to real money," Graves told hundreds of people attending the three-day conference at the Dixie Center. "If I was a betting person, I would say don't expect change anytime soon. It may go even higher over the next year, at least."

America's trucking industry is spending about $94 billion on fuel this year, nearly double what it cost three years ago, he said. New regulations requiring trucks to use ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, which refineries must begin pumping next month, will add even more to the cost of doing business.

"If we had the ability to safely operate lighter vehicles, we could move more product. We would get more done and burn less fuel," Graves said. "I know this can be a contentious issue, but when fuel is scarce and drivers are scarce, we need to consider it."

Even if the nation's trucking industry were able to consolidate routes with rail lines and take some trucks off the road, the change would do little to relieve highway congestion, Graves asserted.

"Every single day we enjoy our lifestyle, it is because truckers move produce," he said. "We need to do a better job of educating the public on how the trucking industry supports the quality of life we enjoy in America."

Dave Osiecki, vice president of safety for the American Trucking Association, said that nationwide, large truck fatal crashes are down 24 percent in the past decade. But safety belts are only used by a little more than half of all truckers, Osiecki said, a fact that has the industry worried.

"We need to encourage law enforcement to enforce the primary seat-belt laws," he added.

Issues involving border security and immigration reform also were discussed.

"We're paying attention to this," Osiecki said. "We'd like to see some kind of guest worker program that would allow some flexibility for truckers."

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