Local News
(2007-12-10)
UNDATED
(wnmu) -
The log truck driving industry in the U.P. is on the verge of collapse. That's according to Marty DeHaan, owner of DeHaan Forest Products in Ontonagon County's Mass City. DeHaan is a co-organizer of two meetings recently held to discuss the impact of fuel costs on truckers' bottom lines. Dehaan says many mills don't pay a fuel surcharge to mitigate rising diesel prices--which can account for 50 percent of a trucker's total expenses. He says several ideas to ease truckers' financial woes came out of the meetings, including the possibility of organizing under the Teamster's Union.DeHaan says log truck drivers are in negotiations with some of the mills regarding a different payment system. He says if nothing changes and fuel prices continue to rise, truckers will go out of business.
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