ATA Calls on Feds to Help Solve Fuel-Price ‘Crisis’
American Trucking Associations called for a series of steps by the federal government to alleviate it what it said was a "crisis" for the trucking industry caused by soaring fuel prices.
“We are concerned about fuel’s direct impact on our industry and also its effects on the nation’s economy,” ATA President Bill Graves said late Thursday. “The industry is doing its part to conserve fuel, but we need help.”
ATA said it issued letters to a host of federal agencies, including the Departments of Energy and Transportation, “requesting that immediate steps be taken to address this crisis situation,” including setting speed limiters on all new trucks.
The trucking industry is experiencing the highest prolonged fuel prices in history, ATA said. Historically, fuel represented the second-highest operating expense for motor carriers, but for some motor carriers, fuel is surpassing labor as their largest expense.
“This ultimately will increase the cost of everything delivered by truck,” ATA said.
Some of the steps ATA called for included:
• Releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve;
• Establishing a national diesel fuel standard;
• Requiring speed limiters to be set at 68 mph or lower on all new trucks and setting a national speed limit of 65 mph;
• Suspending collection of the 12% federal excise tax on motor carriers’ purchase of auxiliary power units, and requiring states to grant a weight exemption for APUs;
• Allowing exploration of oil-rich areas now off-limits;
• Working with states to combat any fuel price gouging; and
• Eliminating the "splash and dash" tax benefit for imported biodiesel that is subsequently exported.
ATA said last week that this year’s fuel price tag for trucking would reach a record $135 billion — $22 billion over last year.
