Help Needed with College Case Study

I am writing a case study for my senior research class for college in order to graduate and I need your help. My case study is on the rise in fuel prices and the affects they have had on the trucking industry. I want to get feedback from the drivers perspective since you are dealing with this issues everyday.

Please feel free to answer all, or just some of my questions.

1. How has the increase in the price of fuel affected the way you drive?
- Have you slowed down to conserve fuel?

2. How often do you follow the routes/directions the company provides when you are dispatched?

3. Do you know of many owner/operators who have stopped driving because of the fuel prices?

4. Are your tractors equipped with auxillary power units?

5. Are you or your company looking into using alternative fuels, such as biodiesel or biogas, in your tractors?

6. Does your company restrict the speed of your tractors? If so, to what speed?

7. Do you feel the government (local, state, or federal) should be doing something about the high fuel prices?

8. Any other comments/suggestions you would like to share


I would like to thank you for taking the time to read this posting. The trucking industry is the heart and soul of this country. Without drivers like you this country would not be able to function the way that it does. Thanks again!!!

 

Sure

Company drivers probaly have no change hardly at all becuase they don't pay for the fuel...

Owner Operators on the other hand probably slowed down a little but not much.. I would say where they try to save most of their fuel now is by not idling their trucks as much.. Another words sleeping in a uncomfortably hot (summer) or cold (winter) truck.

Majority of trucks get some type of route and follow it. The big thing now is using GPS navigation systems in trucks..

Yes I know several who have stopped and a few small companies that have closed down.

Majority no.. They are pretty expensive for the intial cost and some states keep changing the laws if they can be used or not. You may pay $6000 today just to be told you need to spend another $1000 in upgrades in order to use it in some states.. Majority of trucks just don't have them and the driver is made to sleep in a Very uncomfortable truck if it gets hot out. Certain states (more and more every year are added) have no idle laws.. So, when it 90 out a driver is suppose to sleep inside his truck and sweat it out.. Next time it get 90 out where you live walk out in the parking lot and try to take a nap in your car.

I don't drive anymore but i would say that most are still to expensive right now and really don't offer that much of a cost efficient alternative..

Most companies govern their trucks.. typical speeds are 62,63,65,70

majority would be 62-65 and

Well it is what it is.. Government is not responsible but rather OPEC and their control of the market price. What we need is to drill all the offshore oil we can, This will not help lower the price but help keep the price stable in the future. Then they need to research new alternatives as well..

Large corps are trying to eliminate Owner Operators..
Long haul is dying, freight is not going to be shipped cost to cost anymore and more and more is going to be local or regional..
More and More freight is going to be put on rail and less and less trucks are going to be needed. Meaning more people without jobs. Despite this our government is still trying to allow foreign trucks to drive in our country.

 

I am a company driver and I watch my OOR and idle time and speed/ fuel consumption as it affects my fuel bonuses.

 

That would fall under the "hardly".. not everybody nor does every company has a fuel bonus..

 

Not in the least. I average 7.2 mpg, which is considered good/excellent by industry standards.

I don't look at them, even when I check my fuel stops. I might still go OOR and use a differant fuel stop. Simply because the computer doesn't recognize the differance between 600 miles of 5 & 6 % grades, as opposed to 610 miles of rolling hills and flat ground.

Four in my local community.

Does it count, if it doesn't work?

Not an option...you buy what they sell at the pump. I bought bio blend this week.

65 mph

NO...see question 8

Teach tree hugging environmental groups and polititions...55 mph in 6% grades equals 1600 - 1700 rpm in a lower gear, therefor it takes me 40% longer to leave the affected area, than if I had been allowed a 65/70 mph (1400 rpm) run at the 55 mph grade. For some of the newer high torque engines, this isn't as big an issue.

Massive polution generation (and fuel usage) over a period of 10 minutes in some cases...is not the answer to your clean air. Especially when I would have been gone in 5, if they had left me alone.

 

Thank you very much. This is great information.

 

1. Yes , I have slowed at my employer's request . He treats drivers well and doesn't make unreasonable requests . Are trucks are not governed . We are told that will not change if we run between 1400-1500 rpm as much as possible . Doing our part to keep costs low makes it possible for our employer to bid competitively and keep our jobs secure .
2. I have regular runs so I don't need directions . In the beginning some directions left a lot to be desired because they were given by a terminal that had trucks coming from a different starting point . You need to check the directions instead of following them blindly .
3.Not personally . Many have a good contract , get 100% of a proper fuel surcharge , maintain their equipment well , and watch their expenses . A good businessman will survive . (I do not consider participants in "Lease to own" plans O/O's )
4. No but most of our trucks are regional , not OTR . Many are out overnight only 2 or 3 nights a week which would more than double time to recover the expense of an APU .
5. No
6. No , see question 1 . The only exception may be on trucks hauling into Ontario which mandated 105 km/h speed limiters .
7. I don't thing there is anything they can do . It's a worldwide problem and few other governments have come up with a solution . Denmark has greatly reduced dependence on foreign oil but they are a very small country with high taxes and a high standard of living . Brazil has a good solution producing ethanol from sugar cane . In fact Brazil exports surplus ethanol but there are high tariffs on importing it here . U.S. citizens have shown the way to lower gas prices - drive less and reduce the demand . That has worked to some degree . I'm surprised there isn't more support of mass transport and carpooling .
8. It's ironic the biggest waste of fuel is by the government at the worst time at the worst place . I'm referring to FEMA hurricane relief . How many millions of gallons of fuel were used shipping thousands of unused trailers and other unused supplies having drivers idling day after day and moving location to location with nowhere to unload . ?

 

do you still need imput on your reasearch papper????????

 

Yes, please. The more information I have the better I can present the case to the university.

 

1. How has the increase in the price of fuel affected the way you drive?
- Have you slowed down to conserve fuel? no

2. How often do you follow the routes/directions the company provides when you are dispatched? always

3. Do you know of many owner/operators who have stopped driving because of the fuel prices? no

4. Are your tractors equipped with auxillary power units? no

5. Are you or your company looking into using alternative fuels, such as biodiesel or biogas, in your tractors? we use ultra low sulpher diesel

6. Does your company restrict the speed of your tractors? If so, to what speed? yes, 59 mph

7. Do you feel the government (local, state, or federal) should be doing something about the high fuel prices? yes, the u.s. should be exploiting the resources available on our own soil!

8. Any other comments/suggestions you would like to share
the new generation "cleaner" diesel engine have a system that "traps" particulates that would normally come out the exhaust. that may be a good thing BUT...the process to clean the filter that traps the particulates uses more fuel, decreasing the efficiency of the motor.