KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo - Truckers plan strike
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Amarillo_Our sister station KFDA reports - They say they are being taxed to death and now truck drivers are taking a stance thousands will be striking on April 1st.
Truckers want the government to take notice and stop charging fuel surcharges at least until the economy recuperates.
"I will shut the truck down no matter where I am." says 4th generation trucker Dave Ginter. "The last fuel bill I think was 10,500. Fuels gone up this month again so I'm expecting to spend 11,000 a month on fuel."
Ginter says that's double this time last year when he was spending on average 5,000 thousand per month. And while he will strike, he's not sure if it will make a difference.
"It's guys like me, independent owner-operators if we shut down that's all fine and good but there are bigger companies out there 10, 12, 15 thousand trucks. I'm concerned a 1000 guys like me are not going to make a big enough of a difference. We need to have everybody get on the ban wagon with this."
Another trucker, Garry Krueger says if they don't pay attention many of them will have to hang up their hats.
"It ain't very good. If they don't get the freight rates up and cut back on some of these taxes and regulations...I see the owner-operator just hanging it up and that's what I'm hearing on the radio."
No one is sure what affect this will have on the economy, and if the strike will last for more than one day. But, many feel that a strike will definitely get the governments attention.
Tune in to 7News at 6pm for local truckers' reactions.
