Truckload Carriers Assn. (TCA) has joined with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Assn. (OOIDA) in supporting Senate bill 1914, the Motor Carrier Fuel Cost Equity Act of 2002, and its companion version in the House, H.R. 2161.

According to TCA, both bills would mandate a fuel surcharge for those not already paying one when the price of diesel fuel rises above $1.15 per gallon.
A representative of TCA's Fuel Surcharge Task Force said, "With the inability of many carriers to collect their fuel surcharges as diesel fuel prices rise, it has become imperative that we handle the issue of fuel surcharge with legislation."
Department of Energy statistics show the average price of diesel fuel on April 1 of this year was 129.5 cents per gallon, compared to 115.4 cents per gallon on February 25, an increase of 14.1 cpg in just under 35 days. TCA is urging its members to support the bills because it believes prices will continue to climb. The organization says the final bill enacted into law will help address the fuel-price problem. TCA urges its carrier members and OOIDA members to call, e-mail and fax their congressmen and senators.