2006 Survival of the Once Famous Independent Truck Driver
Author: Lance Winslow
< P > I n 2 0 0 5 w e s a w m a j o r c o m m e r c i a l c a r r i e r s h a v e m a j o r p r o f i t s , d u e t o a s t r o n g a n d r o b u s t e c o n o m y a n d t h e a b i l i t y t o p a s s t h e f u e l p r i c e s p i k e s a n d f l u c t u a t i o n s o n t o t h e i r c u s t o m e r s . E v e n a s t h e p r i c e o f f u e l c a m e b a c k d o w n t h e t r u c k i n g c o m p a n i e s w e r e s l o w t o r e - a d j u s t t h e p r i c e s d o w n w a r d a n d m a d e s i g n i f i c a n t s t r i d e s o n t h e f l o a t . T h u s a b l e t o k e e p t h e d i f f e r e n c e a n d b o o k i t i n a s p r o f i t . T h i s w a s o f t e n n o t t h e c a s e f o r t h e I n d e p e n d e n t T r u c k D r i v e r w h o b i t t h e b u l l e t a s h e o r s h e f i l l e d t h e i r r i g s a t t h e p u m p s . < / P > < P > T h e I n d e p e n d e n t T r u c k d r i v e r s a w i n c r e a s e d i n s u r a n c e c o s t a n d i n c r e a s e d c o m p e t i t i o n f r o m t h e l a r g e r c a r r i e r s a n d t h e y h a d t o k e e p p r i c e s l o w t o c o m p e t e , w h i l e a l s o u n a b l e t o t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f t h e p i g g y b a c k r a i l s t r a t e g i e s o f t h e l a r g e s t c a r r i e r s . W e w i l l s e e i n c r e a s e d s c a r c i t y o f t h e i n d e p e n d e n t t r u c k d r i v e r i n 2 0 0 6 a s n e w r e g u l a t i o n s o f h o u r s o f o p e r a t i o n t a k e e f f e c t a l o n g w i t h i s s u e s o f E P A l o w - s u l f u r e n g i n e r e q u i r e m e n t s . < / P > < P > I n d e e d a s w e s a w l a r g e p r o f i t s f r o m s o m e o f t h e b i g g e s t c o m m e r c i a l t r u c k i n g c o m p a n i e s w e a r e a l s o s a w m a n y s h o w d i s m a l r e s u l t s . F u e l p r i c e s p i k e s i n 2 0 0 6 a r e e x p e c t e d t o b e t h e s a m e o r w o r s e t h a n t h o s e i n 2 0 0 5 s a y s o m e c o m m o d i t y a n a l y s t s . A d d i t i o n a l l y t h e f r e i g h t i n d e x o r a m o u n t o f l o a d s s h i p p e d i s e x p e c t e d t o d r o p s o m e w h a t , w h i l e d r i v e r s h o r t a g e s a r e e x p e c t e d t o d e c r e a s e . A l l t h i s w i l l i n c r e a s e l o a d c o s t s f o r t h e c u s t o m e r a n d f u r t h e r s q u e e z e o u t t h e i n d e p e n d e n t t r u c k d r i v e r . G o o d l u c k t o a l l a n d k e e p o n t r u c k i n g i n 2 0 0 6 . < / P >
Author Bio:
Lance Winslow
Currently Lance is retired at age 40 and is running an Online Think Tank Forum while traveling North America. Perhaps considering something extremely challenging to do that will exercise his mind and utilize all his experiences, observations and skills. Any ideas?
You can search for this article using: truck, truck trader, truck rental, monster truck, moving truck rentals, truck driving, truck transport
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