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The average price of a gallon of diesel fuel the week of June 6 was 18% higher than it was at the beginning of this year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and the June 6 price of that fuel in California was 20% higher.

Large and small carriers increasingly find themselves on opposite sides of a widening gulf when the topic is electronic logging devices — particularly when the issue is whether or not ELDs should be required by government mandate.

Because transportation costs outweigh warehousing costs several times over and continue to rise, most companies think outside that big box called the warehouse when the topic is logistics and concentrate instead on how things get to their destination.

The successful application of just-in-time delivery requires every link of the supply chain to remain unbroken. Trucks and their cargo must arrive within a very precise, predetermined period of time — often only hours before the cargo is needed on the assembly line.

As the price of a barrel of oil stands in excess of $100, we should remember how dependent the trucking industry is on petroleum-derived diesel fuel.

This is a pivotal moment for our nation’s commitment to investing in transportation infrastructure. The Interstate Highway System has been built, but it no longer meets all our needs and is showing its age.

Traditionally, fuel has been second only to drivers as the highest variable expense truckload companies face. Since the price of fuel probably isn’t going down anytime soon, this a good time for carriers interested in future prosperity to review the costs associated with fuel.

The country’s recent economic climate certainly illustrates how essential and strong the transportation component is to our way of life, but trucking has needed to navigate regulatory challenges as well.

As technologies are implemented and improved in various industries, companies are at an increased risk of being sued for patent infringement. This is particularly true as federal or state regulators move to require companies to use electronic tracking or other technology.

Over the years, the words, “How’s my driving?” have become nearly ubiquitous on America’s tractor-trailers, and it’s easy to see why.