Don't use other pin pullers, You could get hurt! 
Sunday, March 27, 2005
NATIONAL CALL-TO-ACTION: Fuel surcharge
NATIONAL CALL-TO-ACTION: Fuel surcharge
March 17, 2005
On March 10, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3, also known
simply as “The Highway Bill.”
Section 4139 of that bill says that all motor carriers, brokers and freight
forwarders running truckload freight MUST implement fuel surcharges and they
MUST pass 100 percent of those surcharges through to the person who actually
pays for the fuel.
With diesel prices at historic highs and climbing even higher, now is the
time to write the fuel surcharge legislation into law. Some truckers are
currently receiving some surcharge money, but most are either getting back a
fraction of what they actually pay for fuel or nothing at all.
Section 4139 of H.R. 3 will:
a.. Help truckers survive spikes in prices at the pumps.
b.. Level the playing field for small business truckers.
c.. Use the standard industry benchmark price ($1.10/gallon). The
surcharge would kick in when fuel exceeds the "benchmark" price by a nickel
and would kick back off when the price of fuel falls back to less than 5
cents above the "benchmark."
d.. Cost the government no money to implement or enforce.
The next step is to have the Senate Commerce Committee include the fuel
surcharge provision in its version of the highway bill.
Please write and call both of your senators as soon as possible to urge them
to support the fuel surcharge legislation in Section 4139 of H.R. 3. Even if
they are not members of the Senate Commerce Committee, they can help to
influence the senators who are. We need their support. Remember, you are
their constituent and you are a valuable asset to their state.
If you are not sure who your senators are, simply phone the OOIDA Membership
Department and they’ll look up the information for you. The toll-free number
is 1-800-444-5791. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202)
224-3121 and be connected to the senators’ offices after providing the
operator with your zip code.
SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE:
“I am from Hometown, State, and I am a small business trucker. We need to
have fuel surcharge legislation passed to survive spikes in diesel fuel
prices. I ask that Senator _______ tell his/her colleagues on the Commerce
Committee to include Section 4139 from the House highway bill (H.R. 3) in
the committee’s part of the Senate highway bill.”
Please write and call your senators as soon as possible. A sample letter is
attached. Feel free to cut and paste, use exact same wording, personalize
and add your own thoughts or write something completely different – just let
them know that truckers from their home state and across the nation need the
fuel surcharge passed into law.
You can visit www.congress.org or www.senate.gov to find out who your
senators are, where to send letters and how to get a fax to them.
TO ENSURE YOUR LETTER GETS TO YOUR SENATORS IN A TIMELY MANNER,
FAX IT TO THEM AND THEN DROP IT IN THE MAIL.
March 17, 2005
On March 10, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3, also known
simply as “The Highway Bill.”
Section 4139 of that bill says that all motor carriers, brokers and freight
forwarders running truckload freight MUST implement fuel surcharges and they
MUST pass 100 percent of those surcharges through to the person who actually
pays for the fuel.
With diesel prices at historic highs and climbing even higher, now is the
time to write the fuel surcharge legislation into law. Some truckers are
currently receiving some surcharge money, but most are either getting back a
fraction of what they actually pay for fuel or nothing at all.
Section 4139 of H.R. 3 will:
a.. Help truckers survive spikes in prices at the pumps.
b.. Level the playing field for small business truckers.
c.. Use the standard industry benchmark price ($1.10/gallon). The
surcharge would kick in when fuel exceeds the "benchmark" price by a nickel
and would kick back off when the price of fuel falls back to less than 5
cents above the "benchmark."
d.. Cost the government no money to implement or enforce.
The next step is to have the Senate Commerce Committee include the fuel
surcharge provision in its version of the highway bill.
Please write and call both of your senators as soon as possible to urge them
to support the fuel surcharge legislation in Section 4139 of H.R. 3. Even if
they are not members of the Senate Commerce Committee, they can help to
influence the senators who are. We need their support. Remember, you are
their constituent and you are a valuable asset to their state.
If you are not sure who your senators are, simply phone the OOIDA Membership
Department and they’ll look up the information for you. The toll-free number
is 1-800-444-5791. You can also call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202)
224-3121 and be connected to the senators’ offices after providing the
operator with your zip code.
SAMPLE PHONE MESSAGE:
“I am from Hometown, State, and I am a small business trucker. We need to
have fuel surcharge legislation passed to survive spikes in diesel fuel
prices. I ask that Senator _______ tell his/her colleagues on the Commerce
Committee to include Section 4139 from the House highway bill (H.R. 3) in
the committee’s part of the Senate highway bill.”
Please write and call your senators as soon as possible. A sample letter is
attached. Feel free to cut and paste, use exact same wording, personalize
and add your own thoughts or write something completely different – just let
them know that truckers from their home state and across the nation need the
fuel surcharge passed into law.
You can visit www.congress.org or www.senate.gov to find out who your
senators are, where to send letters and how to get a fax to them.
TO ENSURE YOUR LETTER GETS TO YOUR SENATORS IN A TIMELY MANNER,
FAX IT TO THEM AND THEN DROP IT IN THE MAIL.
