Mr. Speaker,

 

I am a great follower of the GOP, a staunch Republican and am subscribed to various social media sites that bring me updates from your office the White House and many others mostly related to the truck transportation industry. Just today I began to follow the American Energy Initiative Program outlined by the GOP and supported by your office.  I consider myself to be very supportive of you, your constituents and your office.  You bring a much needed common sense to Washington.  

 

As a member of the truck transport industry for over 30 years and a small business owner engaged in the logisitcs of heavy haul truck transportation (and perhpas you are aware of) but there is a becoming a very quick and unlike yesteryear complaints of a growing resentment and the root cause of all of this is of course, fuel cost.  I am currently engaged in the operations as a duly licensed Freight Broker and my business dealings with transport providers specifically (Small Fleet Owners and the Independent Owner Operators) gives me a keen insight to an industry already battered in which people often ignore, oblivious to, unnoticed and the last to be recognized.  Basically your working class, the people who helped the GOP win thier elections.   

 

We have waited patiently (January 09) and helplessly for we have watched many small fleet owners and independent owner operators and companies engaged in freight tendering become downsized, stripped of, layoffs of personel, revenues earned, dissapear.  As 2011 approached we thought we have seen the light at the end of the tunnel and prepared for what we think will be a rebound of our losses, of course no one person could have identified the current fuel prices we are experiencing.  Personally I have been in a planning and development stage and am now in the position to implement an aggressive expansion campaign (that includes 3 new positions leasing of 1800 sg ft of office space) intended to fulfill a projection of better than expected revenues.  But given todays current environment my plans for contribution to the trucking industry and social obligations may be nothing more than a plan.

 

Although fuel surcharges have been implemted to help "ease the pain" it is now begining to affect commerce.  Currently I charge a fuel surcharge of .57 CPM (cents per mile)  and we are estimating the costs to transport and based on an avergae 1900 miles this computes to an additional 1000.00 to the invoice and that is prior to any permits, permit fees, or other accessorials such as tarp charges are applied.  These types of skyrocketing costs are beginning to affect commerce because in most cases this could break the purchase or mvoemnt of particular machinery to location.  Once this happens no one gets any pie and that red white and blue pie is our American Pie!! 

 

I write this to you Senator Boehner to bring light to issues of the last to be remembered, American Trucker and the other small business owners who are engaged in the trucking industry.   We would like to have you consider a proposal and or provide soem guidance to; to do what you have with gas tax in the past to the general motoring public but rather extend a weekend of tax releif at the pump to vehicles engaged in commerce and use commercial diesel heavy class trucks 80k and above in weight.  This gesture would not only show the trucking industry that you have heard us but gives a much needed acknowledgement that the GOP is aware of the issues facing the Independent Owner Operator, Small business fleet owner and others engaged in the truck transport industry. 

 

It is our hope this letter gets to you and as I share this letter I would begin to expect to get a few more from those who express my sentiments as well.  

 

May God Bless you, your office, our country and the American Trucker!

 

Kind Regards,

 

Steven J. Rawlins

President CEO

Steven J. Rawlins Inc

 

Heavy HaulTMG

Operations Director, Business Development Specialist, IT expert, Logisitics Corrdinator, Sales and Marketing, Safety Director, Dispatch.............

 

For those who would like to followup with and contribute constructive thoughts and comments to the Speaker.  You are encouraged to contact your state Representatives as well 

 

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