DOE’s Richardson Concerned on Fuel Prices; Tells ATA Decision Near on Reserve

U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson showed trucking industry leaders Wednesday afternoon that he was "clearly concerned" with the impact on trucking of a 73% fuel price increase over 18 months, American Trucking Associations President Walter B. McCormick Jr. told Transport Topics.

"It was a very positive meeting," said McCormick, who met with Richardson to press his suggestion that the Clinton administration release oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve to bring prices down.

Richardson told the ATA group that a decision would forthcoming soon – possibly in a matter of days, McCormick said.

McCormick had sent a letter to President Clinton on Sept. 5, urging the SPR be tapped. He had also urged that action earlier in the year when diesel prices had shot upward and caused some truckers to park their rigs or turn down freight shipments to higher-costs regions of the country.

Joining McCormick in the meeting were ATA Chairman Lee Shaffer, president of Kenan Transport; First Vice Chairman Duane W. Acklie, chairman of Crete Carrier Corp.; and Vice Chairman David McCorkle, chairman of McCorkle Truck Line, Inc.

The group met earlier Wednesday with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Me.) who, along with Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) have called for the President to swap or release fuel from the reserve.

5654