A top trucking official Tuesday urged the Bush Administration and Congress to implement a comprehensive energy plan that will ensure an affordable supply of oil and limit the effect of rising fuel costs on the U.S. economy.


Speaking on behalf of the American Trucking Associations before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Barbara Windsor, president and CEO of Hahn Transportation of New Market, Md., said the United States needs a comprehensive energy plan that decreases demand for fossil fuels, increases domestic energy production and ensures transparency in the petroleum markets.

"It is clear that our energy crisis is a complex problem that requires a comprehensive solution," Windsor said. "This dramatic year-over-year increase in the cost of diesel fuel is harmful to the trucking industry and the U.S. economy. The fuel crisis we face today is severe."

Windsor said Hahn Transportation's fuel costs have increased 55 percent compared with last year. Hahn Transportation purchases about 2,600 gallons of diesel fuel daily. In 2007, the company spent $1.7 million on diesel fuel. This year, Windsor said Hahn will spend an additional $950,000 on fuel.