Fuel prices
Thread Starter
|
Junior User
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Fuel prices
Fuel prices have gotten way out of hand. And I for one intend to do my bit come November to help set things right. Regular gasoline is now 2.12 per 9/10ths of a gallon here in central Florida. Diesel is higher than I've ever seen anywhere I've ever lived - 2.39 per 9/10th's. Complete and utter nonsense - for lack of another word I'd rather use. All opinions around here seem to reflect that fuel will go much higher before we see the end of November. Maybe as much as 3.00 per 9/10th's. I may be alone here but I for one believe the current prices are highly excessive.
The arguement can be made that Canada and Europe both have even much higher prices than this. Well guess what? I don't live there and could'int really care less what they pay. The economics of Europe and Canada are different from our own. We are not properly prepared for these kinds of prices here.
Not with 5.15 being federal minimum wage. Such a low minimum wage effects everyones wage. When minimum goes up, then so does pay rates for skilled labor. You can't ask a 30 year old carpenter to work for 10.00 an hour when Mc Donalds pays a 15 year old kid $7.00. But keep the kid at 5.15 and 10 bucks starts looking good. In the meantime, at minimum you earn enough to purchase 2 gallons of fuel for an hours work...is this Mexico?
I've heard fuel would be a bargain at 3.00 per gallon. Bargain for who? Those who can afford 50,000.00 trucks, 30,000.00 campers, and can vacation 4 times per year? Sure ain't a bargain for those who must work for their money.
A .50 cent increase in fuel cost per gallon is ok for those who sell a service - like coachlines. They simply raise their prices 1% to cover it. People will still pay the 1.50 extra to go on the tour. When your pay is dictated to you, or you sell a service with product - your stuck. Your pay is the same weather fuel cost .10 cents or 10.00 per gallon. Vinyl siding prices have gone up 27% since may. Aluminum has gone up 17%. Roofing products are up 23%. All due to higher fuel costs. In addition to this my own fuel costs are higher than ever. Most of these products are trucked long distances. Trains cannot do it all. My higher costs cannot be passed on to the consumer I am finding out. Higher cost for everyday living as a result of all this prevents them from absorbing such a huge increase. Our very low minimum wage stunts everyone's income. So I'm put in a position where I must maintain my regular rates and make only half of what I should. If I try to cover my additional costs a bit, I'll be outbid by some jackleg with a crew which can't speak english, or at least, I simply won't be affordable enough to the consumer. If I keep the status quo, I can't afford a life because I'm just covering overhead and personal bills. Small business is in trouble with these fuel costs. Seems like we're being weeded out one way or another. Same for owner operator truckers - no different.
They say diesel is higher because of increased demand. I say nope. Demand has ALWAYS been there. Supply is purposefully restricted, thereby artificially increasing demand. Diesel fuel costs much less to produce than does pure gasoline. Call me a conspiracy nut, but I don't believe in so much "coincidence". Anyway, hope you guys are making enough to pay your higher fuel costs AND put money in the bank for your (likely to be privatised) social security. Also that extra 150 bucks at tax time sure helps out alot dosent it?
What a friggen joke.
The arguement can be made that Canada and Europe both have even much higher prices than this. Well guess what? I don't live there and could'int really care less what they pay. The economics of Europe and Canada are different from our own. We are not properly prepared for these kinds of prices here.
Not with 5.15 being federal minimum wage. Such a low minimum wage effects everyones wage. When minimum goes up, then so does pay rates for skilled labor. You can't ask a 30 year old carpenter to work for 10.00 an hour when Mc Donalds pays a 15 year old kid $7.00. But keep the kid at 5.15 and 10 bucks starts looking good. In the meantime, at minimum you earn enough to purchase 2 gallons of fuel for an hours work...is this Mexico?
I've heard fuel would be a bargain at 3.00 per gallon. Bargain for who? Those who can afford 50,000.00 trucks, 30,000.00 campers, and can vacation 4 times per year? Sure ain't a bargain for those who must work for their money.
A .50 cent increase in fuel cost per gallon is ok for those who sell a service - like coachlines. They simply raise their prices 1% to cover it. People will still pay the 1.50 extra to go on the tour. When your pay is dictated to you, or you sell a service with product - your stuck. Your pay is the same weather fuel cost .10 cents or 10.00 per gallon. Vinyl siding prices have gone up 27% since may. Aluminum has gone up 17%. Roofing products are up 23%. All due to higher fuel costs. In addition to this my own fuel costs are higher than ever. Most of these products are trucked long distances. Trains cannot do it all. My higher costs cannot be passed on to the consumer I am finding out. Higher cost for everyday living as a result of all this prevents them from absorbing such a huge increase. Our very low minimum wage stunts everyone's income. So I'm put in a position where I must maintain my regular rates and make only half of what I should. If I try to cover my additional costs a bit, I'll be outbid by some jackleg with a crew which can't speak english, or at least, I simply won't be affordable enough to the consumer. If I keep the status quo, I can't afford a life because I'm just covering overhead and personal bills. Small business is in trouble with these fuel costs. Seems like we're being weeded out one way or another. Same for owner operator truckers - no different.
They say diesel is higher because of increased demand. I say nope. Demand has ALWAYS been there. Supply is purposefully restricted, thereby artificially increasing demand. Diesel fuel costs much less to produce than does pure gasoline. Call me a conspiracy nut, but I don't believe in so much "coincidence". Anyway, hope you guys are making enough to pay your higher fuel costs AND put money in the bank for your (likely to be privatised) social security. Also that extra 150 bucks at tax time sure helps out alot dosent it?
What a friggen joke.
