Fuel Surcharges
This is a HOT topic, especially if you are an Owner Operator. Fuel Surcharges are for offsetting the high and exceedingly variable cost of fuel against the rate of freight which holds somewhat steady. Last summer when fuel skyrocketted it cost upwards of $800 to fill a truck one time. Who should get the fuel surcharge? The person or company who actually pays for the fuel, that is why it is charged and that is who should get it. Unfortunately greedy brokers and trucking companies alot of the time keep it for themselves. I will not go so far as to say that ALL brokers do this, but there are enough to make this an issue. I think the best way to handle these brokers is to not haul their freight at all, but I am a realist enough to know when you have a truck and freight is tight, the truck payment is due, the family is hungry, you gotta keep em rolling.
The 110th Congress
A bill introduced May 6 2008 by Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-OR, and co-sponsored by Rep. Thomas Petri, R-WI, and
Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-IN, seeks to mandate 100 percent pass-through of fuel surcharges to whoever actually buys the fuel. The bill, HR-5977, "Truth in Reliable Understanding of Consumer Costs Act" or the "TRUCC Act" is identical to a bill introduced in the senate in late April by Sen. Oympia Snowe, R-ME and co-sponsored by Sen. Serrod Brown, D-OH.
The Result!
These bills would have required full payment of any fuel surcharges received by brokers to be paid to the person who actually purchases the fuel. But both the Congress and Senate let these bills die without a vote. Is this what we elect and pay our politicians for?
Links on this issue:
http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_Reports/2008/May08/050708_fuel_surcharge.htm
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