IN KATRINA'S WAKE Truck stops ration fuel Driver: 'For the next month it's going to be rough out here' Posted: August 31, 2005 4:30 p.m. Eastern By Art Moore © 2005 WorldNetDaily.com Travel Center truck stop in Cartersville, Ga. Two days after Hurricane Katrina struck the oil-laden Gulf Coast, many of the nation's truck drivers are encountering unprecedented fuel rationing as they brace for a spike in prices. Wayne Kitchen, a Greer, S.C.-based driver for Bavarian Motor Transport, told WorldNetDaily he hasn't seen a shortage of this kind in his 30 years in the industry. "It's scary," he said, noting many independent truckers already are on the brink of financial ruin due in large part to record fuel prices. "This is really going to put the icing on the cake for a lot of them." Like Kitchen, Michael Wade – a driver with PLT Enterprises in Bay City, Mich. – said his company informed him that truck stops were limiting each sale to 50 gallons while others allowed 100 gallons. "For the next month it's going to be rough out here," said Wade, who uses as much as 140 gallons a day. Tom Liutkus, a spokesman for TravelCenters of America, the nation's largest network of truck stops, told WND that many of his company's locations are limiting sales to 50 gallons per transaction because they have not received any product since Monday's shutdown of the crucial Colonial Pipeline, which runs from Houston to Rhode Island. "In order to stretch that out, I think a lot of [other companies] are doing the same thing," he said. The pipeline's section from Houston to Greensboro, N.C., is not operating due to damage by the hurricane. Terry Scruton of the 130,000-member Owner-Operator Independent Driver's Association told WND he is aware of rationing in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. Scruton, a writer for the association's Land Line magazine, confirmed that independent drivers who already are struggling from the recent rise in fuel prices will face a serious jolt in the days ahead. Wade, who said he just filled up his 53-foot van-trailer in Charleston, Mo., was told by a truck stop attendant that the price of diesel fuel at that station will jump overnight from $2.70 to $2.90 a gallon. Click to learn more... Refineries in Louisiana and Mississippi, with a total capacity of 1.79 million barrels a day, also closed over the weekend. Along with a loss of electricity, the pipelines and refineries are hampered by flooding, which may have damaged critical electric motors, according to industry officials who still are assessing the extent of the damage. Earlier today, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman announced the country will tap its emergency oil reserve. In an address to the nation this afternoon, President Bush made it clear the the hurricane's impact will be felt nationwide. "Our citizens must understand this storm has disrupted the capacity to make gasoline and to distribute gasoline," he said.
I wonder how this will affect Hawaii ????.... Last fill up was premium at about $2.98.... But everything else get's flown or shipped in.... sheesh! its already expensive to live here because of the cost to get things in..... island in the middle of the ocean has its drawbacks in so many ways.... I'm watching this very closely.....
Here's an "interesting" article... "Subject: STATEMENT GIVEN TODAY BY GOV. EASLEY CONCERNING GASOLINE SUPPLY IN NORTH CAROLINA STATEMENT GIVEN TODAY BY GOV. EASLEY CONCERNING GASOLINE SUPPLY IN NORTH CAROLINA THE TWO MAJOR PIPELINES THAT FURNISH GASOLINE TO MANY STATES, INCLUDING NORTH CAROLINA, HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA AND ARE CURRENTLY WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. THEY SERVICE NORTH CAROLINA AND 8-10 OTHER STATES. 90 PERCENT OF OUR GAS COMES FROM THESE PIPELINES AND RIGHT NOW THEY ARE NOT OPERATIONAL. SUPPLIERS GENERALLY HAVE A WEEK OR SO OF SUPPLY. THEY HAVE BEEN SHUT DOWN SINCE THE HURRICANE. THE PIPELINES NEED ELECTRIC SUPPLY AND THE REFINERIES THAT PRODUCE GASOLINE NEED TO MAKE URGENT REPAIRS ALSO ARE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY. THE REFINERIES THAT PRODUCE GASOLINE NEED TO MAKE URGENT REPAIRS. CONSEQUENTLY, WE DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM, BUT WE DO KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFCANT LOSS OF GASOLINE IN THE SOUTHEAST, AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM UNTIL THE ELECTRICITY IS RESTORED. THIS IS NOT ONLY A STATE PROBLEM, THIS IS ALSO A REGIONAL AND A NATIONAL PROBLEM. WE ARE HOPING THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY WILL TAKE SOME ACTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HAVE TRIED TO GET DIRECTION FROM DOE BUT THEY HAVE NOT YET RESPONDED. IN THE MEANTIME, I AM ASKING ALL NORTH CAROLINIANS TO CONSERVE GAS. SOME STATIONS ARE ALREADY OUT. WAIT FOR MORE INFORMATION BEFORE MAKING LABOR DAY TRAVEL PLANS. WE ARE TAKING STEPS TO ENSURE THAT EMERGENCY VEHICLES HAVE THE SUPPLIES THAT THEY NEED, POLICE, FIRE AND RESCUE. I AM IMMEDIATELY SUSPENDING ALL NON-ESSENTIAL STATE GOVERNMENT TRAVEL. I AM ASKING STATE EMPLOYEES TO CARPOOL WHEREVER POSSIBLE. I AM ALSO ASKING ALL OUR CITIZENS TO BE SMART ABOUT THEIR FUEL CONSUMPTION. I AM ASKING THEM TO CARPOOL IF THEY CAN AND TO LIMIT NON-ESSENTIAL ROAD TRIPS. WE ARE NOT OUT OF GAS, BUT WE ARE RUNNING LOW. WE MUST TAKE STEPS TO CONSERVE OUR RESOURCES WHILE WE LEARN THE FULL EXTENT OF THE PROBLEMS AND WHILE WASHINGTON WORKS TOWARD A REGIONAL AND NATIONAL STRATEGY. WITH CAREFUL USE OF PRECIOUS FUEL, CONSUMERS CAN HELP US WEATHER THIS LATEST STORM. NORTH CAROLINA UNDERSTANDS HURRICANES. WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THEM AND WE KNOW THAT WE WILL WEATHER THIS ONE AS WE HAVE IN THE PAST. WE KNOW THEY CAUSE DISTRUPTION. WE JUST NEED TO KNOW AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND PLAN. " http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46089
I am sure I am not helping the matter by getting an extra 35 gallons of fuel this morning in 5 gallon jerry cans I guess this makes me a "hoarder" and "gouger"
The part that realy scares me is that trains run on desil and the trains deliver the coal to the power plants that provide most of the lights, if we run to low on desil then that means no trains=no coal=no lights=shut down of everything, how many stores do you know of that can operate with no lights? I think I will be makeing sure we have enouph gas to power our generator for a few days to run the freezers and get a bunch more jars in case we have to can our meats to preserve them if the lights should go out. I truely hope Im wrong but I could see this getting REAL bad.
I was thinking about going down to NO to take out those damn snipers that Sniper-66 in dodging. But, I'm going to conserve my fuel instead
Not so quick Melbo, we didn't get out today. Appearently, there is also a shortage of Aviation fuel, so we are having the same problems. They told us today that is we will go, but it will be anywhere from one to 14 days. Now is it a waiting game. I get my weekend holiday it looks like, but is sucks to know that we could be there helping humanity and taking rounds at the same time. We will now just have to wait and see.
Speaking of fuel shortages, are you burning JP4 or JP8 these days? Good luck when you go, and keep us posted.
Sniper, would using the thermal gear help in finding those that need to be rescued? Can it penetrate the roofs? I would expect not. Swing through Tyler, pick up me and Ghostrider, and you can drop us off on a hotel roof. We will provide some cover fire.
Actualy I think at least some of the thermal gear and such used by the military and police now will pick up people through walls and roofs and such.
We burn JP-8, the military is completely converted over to JP-8 for both vehicles and aircraft now. The aircraft can't tell the difference, we can still burn JP-4. When we refuel at civilian establishments, we burn Jet-A, close equivilent to JP-8. As for thermal, no, it can't see through walls or roofs, so that doesn't help. Believe it or not, you are better off using the old Mark I eyeball. When searching low and slow, you will do better keeping your head outside the cockpit as opposed to looking at a 4" screen inside. Besides, when people hear a helicopter, they will come to you and wave. Even searching for bodies, the eyeball is generally better than anything else. When a body looses it's body temperature, FLIR doesn't help much then. If they are wearing black on a white surface, FLIR might help, but otherwise, it is no different than a log on the ground.
Was thinking that would be the case. Last I knew (on a military flight for the NSF) was that the conversion was well underway, but not fully implemented. At the time, the plan was for a more or less universal fiuel across the board. We were doing a planning study for future improvements on a couple rather remote stations. BTW, when you pick up EL and ghost, swing by Leesburg and I'll join up. Just got my FAR15 today, and I need a place to break it in.
Damn, your too late, I got my orders tonight, I leave in the morning for two weeks. You'll just have to make your way down and hook up with me there. They are arming us now! Would rather have your AR than my nine! Later guys, I'll chat with you as I can. Sniper
