As owner-operators we expect an increase in ground delivery of freight now that air delivery will become more expensive, and knowing the current diesel prices crosscountry will help us to formulate a fair freight rate to charge our customers.

We usually haul east of the Mississippi, but expect to be hauling freight coast to coast now, and to know prices elsewhere would be extremely helpful!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), September 16, 2001

Answers

Annie, here in the McComb,MS., Kentwood, LA. area (I-55) diesel is running abt. 1.40 a gal. Course, who knows when stations have to buy it again what it'll turn out to be next week :( I bought my diesel truck in 1998 and have seen diesel just climb since then.... story of my life~ Hope your income is gonn'a balance the fuel cost. Truckers here have sure had it rough for a while now. Course, haven't we all? Instead of making things stretch at both ends, we've had to sit and wave at each other for too long.

Safe Hauling to Ya, Debb

-- Debb LA/MS (fly45@bellsouth.net), September 16, 2001.

Hi, Annie! Here in Eastern Colorado, and in Colorado Springs, the diesel is selling from $1.59 to 1.69 right now. I remember when it was much less than regular gas, but not any more. That dates me, I know, but with the current prices, I know it must be a struggle to make a living hauling freight. My parents just told us all the signs point to war to them, that all of this is deja vu, more or less, and suggested we get tires if we need them, as if we did go to war, they will become immediately scarce. Jan in CO

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), September 16, 2001.

Here in southwest Iowa diesel is about 1.599/gallon.

-- Jason Kendrick (kendrick@mddc.com), September 16, 2001.

Annie, its about $1.39 in around Ann Arbor,mich

-- TomK(mich) (tjk@cac.net), September 16, 2001.

"As owner-operators we expect an increase in ground delivery of freight now that air delivery will become more expensive"

How does the cost of air delivery affect the cost of ground delivery?

-- Yup (Yup@nospam.com), September 16, 2001.

As less delivery goes by air, it must go by land, either truck or train. More demand for fuel means less supply, ergo higher prices. Simple economics 101.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 16, 2001.

eastern KY, near lexington, 1.57 and above. Lexi

-- Lexi Green (whitestone11@hotmail.com), September 16, 2001.

Yup, ground freight rates have been the same for about 20 years, despite ever increasing fuel prices, as well as increased everything else, just like farming, we are expected to 'cut costs" to stay in business!

We know what to expect to get for freight this side of the country and what it costs us to haul it for, but without knowing fuel costs on the west side, we don't know what a "good" rate is to haul to CA and back.

We don't expect our rates to increase, despite more folks going to have to have to use ground delivery due to the increased costs (security alone will drive up the air rates!!!) of air freight delivery, but we do have to know what to take, and what to turn down.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), September 16, 2001.