
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 3, 1993                   TAG: 9311030086
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Journal of Commerce
DATELINE: ORLANDO, FLA.                                LENGTH: Short

TRUCKERS SEEK DIESEL PRICE PROBE

Amid mounting fears of a strike by independent truckers later this month, the president of the American Trucking Associations said Tuesday the Washington lobbying group will ask the Justice Department this week to investigate soaring diesel prices.

"There is a lot of controversy about fuel prices," said Tom Donohue, ATA president and chief executive, following discussions with attendees at the association's annual gathering of major trucking companies. "We're going to formally petition the Justice Department to check these fuel spikes."

While diesel fuel prices have dropped slightly in the past week in many areas of the country, concern remains high that some independent owner-operators may stop work or cause disruptions next week in protest over the higher prices and other trucker issues.

Truckload carriers have been hard hit by fuel-price increases since the Oct. 1 imposition of higher federal taxes and cleaner diesel requirements. They originally proposed that the ATA ask a federal court to stop the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing the low-sulfur diesel fuel requirement, which oil companies say is behind the high prices and spot shortages.

"The only way to avert a shutdown is to strongly oppose this unwarranted fuel increase," said Bob Molinaro, an ATA vice president. "We wanted to take it to federal court, but Donohue did not think it was necessary."

by CNB