Where is That Fuel Surcharge Going?
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We have all noticed that food and other consumer goods are getting more expensive. It is supposedly because shipping charges are up due to rising fuel prices. Many consumers see fuel surcharges added to bill for everything from utilities to travel tickets. That, in addition to the general uptrend in the cost of food, household goods, and most anything else we buy retail.
Independent trucks, though, say they are not being paid any more than they have in the past to transport the goods we are all pay more for. Yesterday in Tampa, around 45 independent truckers staged a protest near Tampa’s port in response to this issue. It was just one of many similar gatherings across the nation. They say that although diesel is up 42 percent from a year ago, their pay has stayed the same.
Who is profiting? The middlemen who hire independent truckers are adding fuel surcharges to their customers’ bills, but those extra fees are staying with the middlemen.
One trucker gave an example: he hauled a load of fabric from Tampa’s port to Lake Wales. His carrier paid him $160, but he used $100 worth of diesel fuel. Diesel can consume up 80 percent or more of an independent trucker’s pay, and then there are still costs for oil changes, tires, and general upkeep.
I think it is deplorable. In what world is it OK for a hauling company to collect a fuel surcharge, make an even bigger profit, and then expect the actual trucker to make a lower net profit? Either the surcharge should be eliminated or passed entirely to the trucker. While there are some freight companies that do pass the surcharged onto the truckers, they are the minority.
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