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JHeath
post May 14 2008, 08:50 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=13419

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5/14/2008 10:40:00 AM
Gas Pains
Over-the-road truckers can pay more than $1,000 to fill up vehicles.
COOLSPRING TOWNSHIP - Peter Hoekmeijer's new Volvo semi tractor can fit a family of four inside and makes driving loads across North America as comfortable as sitting in an easy chair watching television.

He hopes it cuts down on his fuel costs, as well.

"It's probably not the best time to be doing it, but I bought the new truck to save some money," he said Tuesday as he stood outside Gas City truck stop on U.S. 421. "The new motor is more fuel efficient and there's less money to spend on maintenance."

Hoekmeijer and his father, Jack, count themselves among the truck drivers being hardest hit by the rising costs of fuel in the U.S. and in Canada, where both live.

As owner/operators of their twin Volvo tractors, the two spend more than $1,000 each time they fill up their trucks. With diesel fuel at $4.22 in Michigan City on Tuesday, the hardship on drivers who have to pay their own freight gets worse every day.

And it's not just over-the-road truck drivers feeling the pinch, either. The price for unleaded fuel surpassed $4 a gallon in Michigan City for the fire time on Tuesday.

At many stations on Franklin Street, the price was $4.05 a gallon.

Both feel that for truckers, exceptions should be made.

"I don't know what's going on," Jack Hoekmeijer said while standing next to his maroon Volvo tractor. "We live here. We do our jobs here. We should be able to live on what we make without having it all go away to pay for gas."

High fuel prices, the Hoekmeijers said, aren't exclusive to the United States. In Ontario, where the men live, fuel is similarly high, with diesel costing "about two dimes more," Jack said.

In their native Holland - from where the family moved in 2001 - gas prices are upwards of $7 or $8.

The high prices, Peter said, are nearly making his profession financially unworkable.

"It's cutting into our pay pretty good," he said. "The prices we can charge don't go up like gas prices do. You just can't do that. It's a circle. Manufacturing slows, which means transport slows, all because gas prices are so high.

"But you've gotta keep trucking."

Peter said the price of diesel in Canada currently is around $5 per gallon.

Rick Johnson, who drives a smaller truck for a company based in South Bend, said he feels for people like the Hoekmeijers.

"My company works with one contract. They negotiate the price," said Johnson, who drives for River Bend Hose Specialty. "It's the owner/operators that are really getting killed. They've got no one to negotiate price for them. They're the ones you should feel sorry for."



Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com.
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Ang
post May 14 2008, 08:55 AM
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OMG!!! You guys are paying $4/gal?!?!?! That's insane! I'm not going to tell you what we're paying, you guys would probably get mad.


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januarygirl63
post May 14 2008, 02:22 PM
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Down here in southern middle Tennessee, it's about $3.65/gal., but that was yesterday and I haven't been out today to see how much it's been raised. It's absolutely ridiculous!! Ang, you're probably extremely lucky if you're not sharing gas prices with us!! biggrin.gif Hope it stays that way in your region, but chances are, it won't.
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Roger Kaputnik
post May 14 2008, 03:32 PM
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Gas prices may be higher in Europe, but much if not all the difference is for taxes. That money goes to the gov't petroleum industry, public works, education, health care, and so on. In other words, the money is going to the betterment of the society. Here, the 'excess' profit goes to the oil companies and represents a loss to society.


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Ang
post May 14 2008, 04:11 PM
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JanGirl, we are an oil producing state, our fuel is always cheaper than the rest of the nation. We haven't even hit $3.50 for reg unleaded yet. it's close, but not yet that much. I know our prices will climb like the rest of the country, but for the most part we are way below the average. Even diesel fuel is hovering near $4, I hear it's at least 4.50 every where else.


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januarygirl63
post May 15 2008, 12:59 PM
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You're lucky to have gas so cheap there! I was watching CNN last week and they talked to some "oil expert" who said gas prices would NOT hit $4/gallon here in the US. Wonder how he's feeling now?! Guess he spoke too soon!! They also said prices would come down after Memorial Day, but with the things are now, that's nearly hard to believe. I feel really bad for the independant truckers out there who have to pay out more. It's gonna get bad.
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Ang
post May 16 2008, 09:24 AM
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Went on a field trip with my daughter yesterday. I scoped out gas prices outside of Casper. They are higher when you get off the beaten path, but still under $3.50 near the highway.

I'm headed to Colorado this weekend. Gas is always so much higher in CO. I usually gas up in Cheyenne before I cross the state line and don't have to gas up again until I cross back into WY.

I am very excited about my trip to CO, though. I am going to stay at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. It's reputed to be haunted and was the inspiration for Stephan King's The Shining.


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mcstumper
post May 19 2008, 08:24 PM
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QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ May 14 2008, 04:32 PM) *

Gas prices may be higher in Europe, but much if not all the difference is for taxes. That money goes to the gov't petroleum industry, public works, education, health care, and so on. In other words, the money is going to the betterment of the society. Here, the 'excess' profit goes to the oil companies and represents a loss to society.


Have you been sniffing the E85, Rog? How do you equate "That money goes to the gov't petroleum industry" with "the money is going to the betterment of the society"? I would much rather see the profits go to rich fat cats like myself who own oil company stocks in their mutual funds than to gov't bureaucrats who piddle it away.

There is no excess profit here. What there is though is demand for petroleum products that is exceeding supply. I myself honestly hope gas gets to $6.00 a gallon or higher. At that point Americans are going to modify their vehicle purchasing and driving behaviors. People commuting to work by themselves in $25k SUVs getting 16mpg is absurd. We, the American people, brought this on ourselves and are getting exactly what we deserve.


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Roger Kaputnik
post May 20 2008, 09:47 AM
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I hope you are free of the 'all government is bad' line promulgated by the smooth-cortexed '80s crowd. A healthy petroleum extraction and refining industry is important. The natural course of a capitalist-based basic industry is monopoly of a basic commodity. That, of course, is bad for society.

I agree, obviously, that the US wastes large amounts of petroleum. All the plastic packaging, wasteful automobiles, dearth of public transportation, and on and on. It is a shame, but it is not the fatcats who will pay. Us regular folks who wear sneakers or an occasional python boot will.


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mcstumper
post May 20 2008, 09:25 PM
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QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ May 20 2008, 10:47 AM) *

I hope you are free of the 'all government is bad' line promulgated by the smooth-cortexed '80s crowd. A healthy petroleum extraction and refining industry is important. The natural course of a capitalist-based basic industry is monopoly of a basic commodity. That, of course, is bad for society.

I agree, obviously, that the US wastes large amounts of petroleum. All the plastic packaging, wasteful automobiles, dearth of public transportation, and on and on. It is a shame, but it is not the fatcats who will pay. Us regular folks who wear sneakers or an occasional python boot will.


Small governments are good, big governments are bad. A monopoly is just as bad whether it is a government monopoly or a corporate monopoly. There is a nice article in this month's National Geographic on the state of the Russian oil industry that illustrates this point. Check it out.

As for who pays, it is simply a matter of who chooses to pay. No one is forcing consumers to be wasteful. They (we, whatever) have been blissfully ignorant of history and basic economic theory. Fuel lines? Don't remember those. Supply and demand curves. Hogwash.

Want to cut your fuel bill in half, simply buy a car that gets double the gas mileage. They are out there waiting to be purchased.

I went to dinner with a client a few weeks ago, and had to endure a 15 minute rant about the abusive profiteering of ExxonMobile and the like. I asked him if he would be selling his 17mpg Ford Explorer to get some that was economical. "No way," he said. "I have had my heart set on a Ford Expedition. Hey, I love big trucks." So goes the nation.


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JHeath
post May 20 2008, 09:40 PM
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QUOTE(mcstumper @ May 20 2008, 10:25 PM) *

...
Want to cut your fuel bill in half, simply buy a car that gets double the gas mileage. They are out there waiting to be purchased.

I went to dinner with a client a few weeks ago, and had to endure a 15 minute rant about the abusive profiteering of ExxonMobile and the like. I asked him if he would be selling his 17mpg Ford Explorer to get some that was economical. "No way," he said. "I have had my heart set on a Ford Expedition. Hey, I love big trucks." So goes the nation.

I have 5 in my family. Because my my kids like to bring along a friends when we go on outings, we need at least 7 passenger seating in a vehicle...and I'm not fond of the minivan. If you can suggest a more fuel effieicnt vehicle that offers the space the my Trailblazer EXT offers, I'll lease or buy it in March, when I close out my lease. I've started to search, but I'm not fond of the Toyota Highlander (too small on the inside), and that is the only one that I've found so far that seems remotely close to what I want/need.

This post has been edited by JHeath: May 20 2008, 09:41 PM
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Southsider2k12
post May 21 2008, 09:31 AM
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QUOTE(JHeath @ May 20 2008, 10:40 PM) *

I have 5 in my family. Because my my kids like to bring along a friends when we go on outings, we need at least 7 passenger seating in a vehicle...and I'm not fond of the minivan. If you can suggest a more fuel effieicnt vehicle that offers the space the my Trailblazer EXT offers, I'll lease or buy it in March, when I close out my lease. I've started to search, but I'm not fond of the Toyota Highlander (too small on the inside), and that is the only one that I've found so far that seems remotely close to what I want/need.


For every person like you, there is someone driving his SUV 60 miles to downtown Chicago by himself, when public transportation would be an ideal option. As a country, we haven't even scratched the surface of ways to really bring down gas prices. Real public transit is the biggest failure in the US versus the rest of the world.
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Beachgirl77
post May 21 2008, 10:10 AM
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QUOTE(januarygirl63 @ May 15 2008, 01:59 PM) *

You're lucky to have gas so cheap there! I was watching CNN last week and they talked to some "oil expert" who said gas prices would NOT hit $4/gallon here in the US. Wonder how he's feeling now?! Guess he spoke too soon!! They also said prices would come down after Memorial Day, but with the things are now, that's nearly hard to believe. I feel really bad for the independant truckers out there who have to pay out more. It's gonna get bad.

Channel Nine news said yesterday (morning news) that there was a survey done across the country about the highest gas prices, and Chicago has the highest prices, over $4 in most areas, with the most expensive being $4.59 a gallon.
sad.gif It's getting harder and harder to be able to afford to drive these days.


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Roger Kaputnik
post May 21 2008, 10:28 AM
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MCStumper, good one re your gas-guzzling friend. Big agreement regarding individual choices having an impact on one's outlay for fuel. F'rinstance, jheath could use the Big Car when needed, use an economical model for regular running around. MCSt's friend, on the other hand exhibits classic boomer/yuppie egocentricity: Wants the big truck, not willing to pay for his choice.


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Ang
post May 21 2008, 10:42 AM
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I always thought Denver was outrageous when it came to gas prices, they have always been at least $0.50/gal higher than Chicago, but I was in the area Sunday & Monday and the highest price I saw was 3.89.


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edgeywood
post May 21 2008, 01:01 PM
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QUOTE(mcstumper @ May 20 2008, 10:25 PM) *


Want to cut your fuel bill in half, simply buy a car that gets double the gas mileage. They are out there waiting to be purchased.


Was thinking about replacing my 10 year old car yesterday and looked around for a Prius or Civic hybrid yesterday...there are now waiting lists.

We purchased a Prius about 15 months ago and had our pick of color and options, all on the lot.

Of course there are plenty of conventional cars out there that get 30+ MPG, but my old car is not too bad with gas, so I guess I will wait till my fellow citizens get used to $4 gas. (or until they increase production on the hybrids)
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Roger Kaputnik
post May 21 2008, 01:34 PM
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Why replace it? It is much 'greener' to keep using it until it quits, assuming mileage and mechanics stay good.


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JHeath
post May 21 2008, 01:47 PM
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QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ May 21 2008, 11:28 AM) *

MCStumper, good one re your gas-guzzling friend. Big agreement regarding individual choices having an impact on one's outlay for fuel. F'rinstance, jheath could use the Big Car when needed, use an economical model for regular running around. MCSt's friend, on the other hand exhibits classic boomer/yuppie egocentricity: Wants the big truck, not willing to pay for his choice.

Roger, that's exactly what we do. My husband drives a 4-cylinder, and I have the larger car. I don't commute as far as he does, so it makes more sense for me to drive the larger vehicle to cut our fuel costs. Plus, when their schedules allow, he carpools with a co-worker to and from his office. Also, unless we really need the extra space, we take his car for most of what we do around town.

But, I'm still looking for a viable replacement for my SUV. No suggestions from the MB'ers?
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edgeywood
post May 21 2008, 05:03 PM
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QUOTE(Roger Kaputnik @ May 21 2008, 02:34 PM) *

Why replace it? It is much 'greener' to keep using it until it quits, assuming mileage and mechanics stay good.


Yeah, it needed "some" work, but hopefully this latest infusion of parts will keep it running for another 134K miles!
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Roger Kaputnik
post May 21 2008, 07:01 PM
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JHeath, also consider that the larger car is safer if someone hits you. Safety is the trade-off for small, high-mileage cars. We do the same thing.

edgy, get it fixed!


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