Fuel price protests started

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

The evening news just announced there is a local fuel price protest in Shreveport, LA. Approximately 300 truckers are driving slowly and effectively blocking the interstate highway there. The state police has been stopping and arresting the drivers. There has been several fights. Is this happening any place else? We would not know about this except our TV stations are from Shreveport.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), September 26, 2000

Answers

Green, I had heard this may happen. My husband is a trucker, and the owner operators, who pay for their own gas(thats what he is) are really getting socked hard right now. I can see that our groceries are going up, as well as laundry soap, ect. in our area. They keep saying this is due to the high fuel cost, but the truckers arent seeing this extra money, beleive me! I just hope the striking doesnt get bad...we may not have very full grocery store shelves if it does! But I heavent heard anything about this happening here is Southern Wis....But if they were, Id be supporting it! Someones getting rich because of this....and it isnt the truckers! Thanks for this and could you please keep us updated as you hear more...Im very intrested! Thanks, Carrie

-- Carrie Wehler (carriew@ticon.net), September 26, 2000.

How ironic, since the news that we are releasing oil from the strategic oil reserves sent wholesale oil prices on Wall Street tumbling recently. Guess there must be a need to catch up.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), September 26, 2000.

I haven't heard anything up here in Iowa. Harvest is starting here, so a lot of trucks and farm equipment are going to be burning a lot of fuel. I suspect those drivers connected to the transporting of the harvest will work through the harvest paying for fuel however they can. After that, hard telling what will happen. I hope that the fighting calms down in LA, people don't need to get hurt on top of everything else. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 26, 2000.

We'll be seeing more of it, and it will get worse before it gets better. The reserve release will be a bandaid fix at best until November. My research points toward a possible recession rivaling the 70's. This could turn into what we were all preparing for in 99.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), September 26, 2000.

The truckers are not seeing an increase in monetary gain because the trucking industry is regulated whereas the cost of living,and fuel, is not. We operate a cafe' with a truck stop and the faces sure have been downcast! The same applies for farmers. They don't want the governments $, they just want a fair price for their harvest! These are the hands that feed us pretty much....farmers and truckers....and they are treated pretty unfairly if you ask me!

-- Beth Weber (talmidim88@hotmail.com), September 27, 2000.


Green, I'm seeing nothing in the newspapers (Maine) about a truckers' protest anywhere in the US. Can you give details? How widespread? Are other truckers joining? How organized are they? Does anyone have a news link? BTW, I agree with the post about a recession coming. Oil price spikes have ALWAYS been followed by recessions. Combine that with the current tottering state of affairs on Wall Street and it could be a real doozy, much worse than the 70s.

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), September 27, 2000.

My husband is also a trucker and is VERY glad he got out of being an owner just before the fuel prices started to go up. The owners are the hardest hit of the drivers because not only do they have to pay for the fuel, they must also pay for the insurance (1 millon dollar pollacies), repair and maintenance (which is frequent due to the fact that few can afford new trucks), taxes and fees. All of this adds up to the situation of do I feed my family or do I pay the income taxes?

Needless to say my family is in debt to the IRS. I'm sure we aren't the only ones. It seems to me that a strike may be the only way to bring attention to this terrible situation. Good luck to all the truckers and their families on surviving the coming recesion. annette

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), September 27, 2000.


My husband is an owner operator, too. Our checks this year are half of what they are last year. On top of that, I heard that corn and soybean prices are down again...lower than last years, so our crops wont be worth much, either. I think all the trucker and farm families are seeing the recession right now.... Beth, thanks for saying we dont want the government handouts...we work hard on our farm, and deserve a fair price. Ive learned to be frugal over the years, and garden and my husband hunts. This is really helping with the food, we have 3 kids, but the other bills still need to be paid. Its kind of scarry thinking that a recession might be coming...Carrie in Wis

-- Carrie Wehler (carriew@ticon.net), September 27, 2000.

Sorry for the delay in answering. Our internet service decided to not connect on any of the 5 numbers again. Anyway, the protest is still going on. The news of it is on the late night trucking show with the Midnight Cowboy on it on WBAP clear channel from Ft. Worth, 8.20 AM. The protest is continuing. It has proceeded west from Shreveport to Tyler, TX, to Dallas, TX, today. The number of protesters is growing. They are driving the minimum speed in the right hand lane of interstate 20. They are to spend the night at Weatherford, TX, west of Ft. Worth tonight. They are planning to go all the way to California. Maybe it will do some good. I agree that the truckers are stuck in the middle and are unable to raise their prices because they are regulated. I was a billing clerk for an interstate trucking company back in the '70's when the original "oil crisis" started. It was tough sledding for all concerned. I have not been able to get on the internet enough to look for a link on the story. It is 11:45 P.M. and this is the first time the stinking ISP has let me in all day.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), September 28, 2000.

US Fuel protest link

-- Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill@no.net), September 28, 2000.


My husband and I have been (and still are) truckers (owner-operators) for over 20 years now, we are members of O.O.I.D.A.,Owner Operators Independant Drivers Association, for the same number of years, and we have yet to hear of ANY organized national strike of any kind. We would sure support any kind of protest, strike, shutdown, ANYTHING, that would get national media attention, like the truckers in France and Europe are doing. Trucking rates have not gone up in over 20 years, most are half of what they(rates) were back in the regulated 1970's, and costs on everything, insurance,fuel,parts, continues to go up. we would not be getting by at all if our equipment were not paid for. Our only monthly major payment is our farm mortgage payment. We do not drive new vehicles, they are 1990 or older, all some type of pickup truck so at least they are farm use and can be deducted for tax purposes. I believe the only way we can get a trucking rate increase is to SHUT THE TRUCKS DOWN for a least a week, most truckers can take a week off without losing too much money to seriously affect themselves too much. A weeks shutdown would adefinitely have a serious effct on our countrys economy 'cause if you got it a truck brought it , everything is delivered by truck in this country. The grocery store shelves, especially milk and bakery products, would show an immediate effect of a weeks truck shutdown/strike, enough of an effect to get a message across that everyone needs fair compensation for their work, in this case the drivers of the big rigs! Being a trucker has become just like being a farmer in this country, work longer, harder, faster, for less and less money! That is how we have survived so far, working way longer than is legal, etc. I believe the time has come for truckers, and farmers, to stand together and stand up for what we know has to be done to remedy this situation or we will not survive at all. We don't want to get rich, just get by! New work boots once in awhile sure would be nice, we are are not looking to buy any Corvettes or other silly, yuppie type geegaws! Truck strike, count us in, we're ready!

-- Annie Miller (Ann.Miller@1st.net), September 28, 2000.

We (my hubby and I) are also O/O, and just bought our own truck just before the fuel prices went up. We went from paying $1500 a week to $2000 a week for the same runs. It's hurting us really badly. And on top of that, we've had some pretty hefty repair bills lately.

I've heard that there are extensive slowdowns out west, but nothing to speak of in the east. Wish that all the truckers would join in.

Susie in MN

-- Susan J. De Lano (sasjdelano@wiktel.com), October 01, 2000.


The mainstream media seem to to be ignoring the protest, perhaps out of fear of encouraging it to spread. I've seen absolutely nothing in newspapers or CNN. Shouldn't be surprised, I guess. I'm sure TPTB don't want to upset the voters just before November.

The truckers in England and France organized using the internet and their cell phones. Any chance of something similar happenign here?

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), October 02, 2000.


Green and others, I would sure appreciate it if you kept us posted about this, we live in central PA and have heard nothing about the protests. We did get in touch with a dear friend whose hubby is a trucker and will be getting together with them later this week to hear what he has to say. I just know it won't be too good.

-- Phyllis (almostafarm@yahoo.com), October 02, 2000.

Sorry, I cannot be of help. I'm not hearing anything more about the protest. It is apparently no longer happening locally, so they don't report it. If it were not for the internet, we would hardly know who was running for president. LOL Seriously, we are in pretty much of an informational black hole. We don't even get what is truly a local weather forecast. We just have to check on the weather forecasts issued for the areas around us and try to make an educated guess.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), October 02, 2000.


Moderation questions? read the FAQ