Driven out of an industry * USA - High fuel prices have led to a shakeout in the trucking business, paring excess capacity
St. Paul,MN,USA -The Pioneer Press, by Christopher Snowbeck -26 July 2008: -- Jibri Copeland's truck is fully loaded... The cab offers everything from a TV and surround-sound stereo to an on-board refrigerator and microwave. A couch in the cab folds out into a full-size bed, and the heated seats have full lumbar support... There's just one problem: Filling it up with diesel fuel right now costs about $1,200. That's a big part of the reason the St. Paul resident is trying to sell his rig... An unprecedented rise in diesel fuel costs has made for tough times in the trucking business, as operators struggle to negotiate rates that cover their costs... But diesel costs aren't the only factor. The economic slowdown means there's not as much freight to haul, and the industry is suffering from an oversupply of trucks... John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association in Roseville said, that while he knows of some companies and individual owner-operators in the state who've gotten out of the business, the association's overall membership numbers are holding pretty steady. But when he sees what's happening nationally, Hausladen said, he's bracing for what might happen when the economy picks up again... (See Video)
* Economy forces local truckers off the road
Sanford,NC,USA -WRAL -July 26, 2008 — Amid high diesel costs and other economical issues, some local truckers have been getting out of the business... Culberson Motor Lines Owners Ron and Sandy Tillotson thought they were in it for the long haul. But June 30 was the last day of business for the truck company that Sandy Tillotson’s father started 45 years ago... On Saturday, the Sanford-based company auctioned off everything that belonged to it... Sandy Tillotson said the auction was painful for her. She and her husband have applied for jobs at several local companies... (Photo: A truck from Culberson Motor Lines is auctioned off July 26, 2008.)
(See Video)
Labels: small trucking industry crisis
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