Wow, amazing how a person in the business starts a thread about fuel prices and it turns into a Bush bashing game.
So many conspiracy theories, so little proof! Yeah, great cartoon by the way, the one with Bush (Im just guessing here) burning the Geneva Convention. Thats just great. Coming from a former soldier who still has many friends in the active duty, I would like to thank you for the insult. I am guessing you probably never served? Just a guess. Could I just ask which incident/s that is referring to?
Lets face it, in todays world, without oil, we are nothing! Period! Prices are based on supply and demand- the demand has increased, the supply has not.
How can anybody say that this is not about the environment? There has not been a new refinery built in years! The reason? Because there are fantastic lobbyists and activists who know how to scare our Congress to death. As a result, nobody can get approval to build a refinery.
Why does anybody think that the Government has finally okayed drilling in Alaska? Because, skyrocketing prices are upon us, and now at least they can cover their tracks by saying that we, the Government, have done what we can. Unfortunately, it is too little too late. That drilling should have been approved years ago.
In my humble opinion, our best defense is not to plan on prices to decrease soon, but to conserve the best we can, and do not work for "gas money." My father, who has been trucking as long as I can remember, often gave me tips here and there, and some I took into consideration and even used, but alot I just threw out the window. One of his tips was to drive 60 on the highway. No slower, no fater. I finally tried it all last week. I went from 9mpg, to 11mpg. Granted, Im practically a safety hazzard, what with 18 wheelers passing me doing 85, but whatever.
Another question I often ask myself, is why anybody (mostly 18 wheelers) will not shut off their engines when fueling, in a dock waiting to get loaded, etc. Are they afraid the engine will not start again? Or, how about the semis sitting in a rest area when it is 55 degress on, with the engine running all night long. I just dont understand some things.
Oh, and one other thing. There was another comment about the Unions being eliminated. Quite frankly, those people get everything they deserve! I run 100% automotive freight, and I am so disgusted every time I go in and out of a plant. The freud, waste and abuse, is just unimaginable! You want to know who is eliminating the Unions, the Unions are eliminating the Unions. I have yet to see an example of ANYBODY at an automotive plant, actually earning what they make. The game I see, is see how much you can get away with, for how long. These people cause the prices in automobiles to increase so much, that nobody can afford them, because of their lack of efficiency.
Lest anybody think I have no clue, case in point: I go to a pick up in the Detroit Metro area a week ago. I arrive 5 minutes before the pick up time, which was for 11:30am. I walk inside the shipping office, smile, introduce myself, and apologize to the gentleman for interrupting his lunch, but that I was just checking to see if I was at the right dock. This guy looks at me, and with no hesitation, states that I am indeed in the right place, but he is the only person there, and while his lunch break does not officially start until noon, he is in the middle of eating, and at noon, he is going out to his car for a nap. Dumbfounded, I just asked him where he wanted me to wait, etc.
A couple hours later, I am out of this place. Of course now, I have lost at least an hour, and dispatch is having to call NLM to update the situation, and NLM is not happy, because the parts are actually "hot" and they need them ASAP.
When I got this stuff to its destination, I knew it was indeed hot, because when I checked in with security, and told them my truck number, they immediately got on the phone, and told somebody that " the truck you have been waiting for has arrived." With that, they send me to the front of the line, and they get me unloaded. I was told that the line had been shut down for 1 1/2 hours. So how much did that guy, taking an extra half hour lunch break, and copping a bad attitued on top of it, cost the consumer in the end. Probably not much per individual, but if that happens enough times, it will.
Scott
