Truckers In Trouble

By Andrea Berry, NCC News

(SYRACUSE) An empty truck stop diner off 690 in Syracuse is just one sign that the trucking industry in Central New York is slowing from high diesel costs. Ma Ma Nancy's was once bustling with truckers stopping by for coffee and a fill-up, but with diesel now at $4.48/gallon (up from $2.94 last year) the Independent Owner Operators (independent truckers) are suffering the most. "Some of them have gone to working for someone else and some of them have gone out. Some of them have retired and I don’t think they would have retired that soon" owner Nancy Bianchi said.

Liquid Gold
The cost of fuel is driving some truckers to drastic measures, like fuel theft. It's becoming a common practice at truck stops and some truckers say things are going from bad to worse. "It’s kind of hard when it’s cold out and you want to run your truck so you can keep warm but you can’t hear people stealing your fuel... and it’s getting bad, you buy fuel and somebody steals it from you and you’re out more money" said Jim Allen, a driver from Ohio making his way to Canada.

Taking It To The Streets
Fuel prices have led some independent truckers to protest in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. But putting together a large scale protest in CNY where fuel tax is highest has been difficult. Kenneth Coon owns AFD Inc., a trucking company in Syracuse. He says small companies like his have already folded and he isn't sure how much longer he will last. "There was talk of [a protest] but we can’t get the bigger companies to join us. I’m all for it...at this point you need the big companies to support you, just the small companies alone can’t have enough impact on Washington to do something about it" said Coon. His proposal for Washington is to open the oil reserves. For Coon, its the only solution that will spell a much needed relief for both independent truckers and company owners like him.

The lack of support could be from fear, according to Lori Fisher, a driver out of Michigan . "We could shut down the entire country if we would stop working for one hour. It wouldn’t effect things in the long term but it would affect things in the short term" Fisher said.

Long Reaching Affects
The struggles felt by the trucking industry will soon make their way to the consumer in the form of higher prices at stores. Virtually everything is brought through on a truck. This is the message Charlie Clayburn wants to get across to lawmakers in Albany. Clayburn recently organized a rally between state officials and independent truckers throughout Central New York. The pleas were desperate, but essentially the same, all calling for change. "My fuel costs have gone from $800-$900 a week to $1600 a week.. I estimate by the end of the year my net income will be around $13,000.. its averaged in the past around $35-40,000 thats a hell of a drop in income" said Paul Blooming, an independent trucker from Gloversville. On average 2,500 trucks are being repossessed because owner operator's can't make their payments, according to Bill Sutton, an independent trucker from Batavia.

Clayburn says he hopes the message becomes clear in Albany and will be strong enough to incite change in Washington. He says the truckers are only the tip of the iceberg and that this issue really affects everyone. "Think about it, the shoes you got on, the floor, the blacktop, the food the water, the lights this building.. everything came in on a truck.. your cereal, your milk, the kitchen table.. find one thing that didn't come in on a truck, just one.. and nobody can."