Fuel Prices are No Joke- Truckers are Planning a Shut Down

Rumor has it that on April Fool’s Day (April 1st), truckers are shutting down to protest high fuel prices.

Fuel prices are sky high. There’s no question about that. But what are struggling owner operators to do about it? Complain to each other on the c.b. radio? Lose their trucks? Cry?

Many truckers are planning to shut down from Tuesday, April 1, to Friday, April 4, 2008 (the dates vary from source to source, but the 1st through 4th is the general consensus). It’s being called a “fuel shut down” or “trucker strike” (though it’s not a traditional strike). It’s not much, but it’s something. And frustrated truck owners are looking for something to do about fuel prices.

Will it make a difference? Time will tell. Back in the 70s, there were trucker demonstrations protesting fuel prices. They sent a message even if they didn’t make an immediate difference, and it made truckers feel that they were at least doing something.

The percentage of owner operators compared to company drivers is low today. There may not have been numerically more owner operators in the 70s than there are now, but a greater percentage of truckers were truck owners. So, even if there is a large number of trucking owner operators and small trucking companies who participate, there is likely to be an even larger number of truckers who go on about their daily business as though nothing is happening.

Without the support of the big trucking companies like U.S. Xpress, Schneider National, J.B. Hunt and Swift Transportation, a fuel shut down is likely to go unnoticed. And that’s unfortunate.

So, if you want to shut down from April 1 to April 4, go ahead and do it. Do your part to send a message. But don’t expect fuel prices to do anything other than climb. And don’t expect the government to do anything to relieve the financial burden on truckers by… cutting fuel taxes at the pump or something crazy like that. Now that would be an economic stimulus package.

The opinions and views expressed above do not necessarily reflect those of the CoopsAreOpen.com staff, Driver Networks, LLC, or other sponsors and partners. This article reflects the author’s judgment at the time it is made and is subject to change at any time.

Tags: Fuel Prices, Owner Operators, Fuel Shut Down, Trucker Strike, Truck Owners, Trucker Demonstrations, Company Drivers, Trucking Companies, U.S. Xpress, Schneider National, J.B. Hunt, Swift Transportation, Fuel Taxes, Economic Stimulus Package