WE ARE ALL GRIPING ABOUT THE COST OF GASOLINE AS PRICES APPROACH FOUR DOLLARS A GALLON, BUT IMAGINE HAVING TO KEEP A FLEET OF SEMIS FUELED WITH DIESEL FOR CROSS-COUNTRY JAUNTS.
JEFF ARENS IS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE LE MARS-BASED SCHUSTER TRUCKING COMPANY, WHICH HAS 450 TRUCKS ON THE ROADS ACROSS THE U-S AND CANADA.
SCHUSTER1 OC……..”OF THE DAY” :18
ALL OF THE COMPANY’S ROUTES ARE UNDER CONTRACT AND ESTIMATING THE COST TO DELIVER PRODUCTS TO FAR-AWAY DESTINATIONS IS CHALLENGING:
SCHUSTER2 OC…….”RIGHT NOW” :15
HIGHER FUEL PRICES MEAN HIGHER PRICES FOR THE PRODUCTS THE COMPANY HAULS — INCLUDING WITH TWO OF ITS MAJOR CONTRACTS AT WELLS BLUE BUNNY ICE CREAM, OR HARDWARE TOOLS FOR BOMGAARS. PLUS, IT’S MORE THAN THE DIESEL.
SCHUSTER3 OC…….. “OIL-BASED PRODUCTS” :18
ARENS SAYS SCHUSTER IS TRYING TO MAKE CERTAIN EACH TRUCK AND TRAILER IS AERODYNAMIC TO HELP REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL NEEDED TO RUN ON THE HIGHWAYS.