I’ve asked the question in the past, “How expensive does a gallon of fuel have to be before Americans say ‘Enough!’” It now appears we may have an answer.

There’s a lot of buzz on internet forums and CB radio channels about independent truckers holding a national “Fuel Shut Down” on Tuesday, April 1st., to protest skyrocketing diesel fuel prices. This could be huge, or it could be a dud (or it could be a colossal April Fool’s joke). There’s no union or cohesive leadership group promoting this event, and there seems to be some confusion about the actual date of the event, but the fact that people are talking about this as a reality says something about how frustrated Americans are by rising gas and diesel prices and our government’s inability to rein in big oil companies and Middle East sheikdoms, both of whom are raking in oceans of money.

Yes, it seems that truck drivers, at least, have said “Enough!” and some of them are ready to take action by shutting down their trucks and disrupting the transportation of vital goods. Will it work? Who knows? No matter how many drivers shut down on the 1st, they’re probably not going to make a dent in the giant American commerce and industry machine, and they may harm themselves in the long run by foregoing the pay they could have been earning. But one thing’s for sure: they have started a conversation, and I predict that, whatever happens on the 1st, that conversation is not going to die down, or go away.

Every now and then I’m reminded that, no matter how long I’ve worked in this business, I still have more to learn. For example, a few weeks back I wrote a very critical blog entry about gas stations that put up signs that say “No Ethanol! Real Gas Sold Here!” In that entry, I said that anyone who used that as a selling point for their gasoline was un-American. Well, l just attended a sustainable energy conference, and I happened to mention the “No Ethanol” signs to one of the City of Milwaukee fleet engineers and he explained the the rationale for promoting “Real Gas.” It turns out that the 10 percent ethanol blend that is commonly sold at gas stations here in southern Wisconsin has a relatively short shelf-life of a year or less. That’s a concern to the many people who leave gas in their lawn mowers, outboard motors, ATVs, dirt bikes, scooters, etc., during the winter (and in their snowmobiles and snow blowers over the summer). Not surprisingly, they don’t want to have to worry that some bad ethanol is going to gunk up their fuel filter or carburetor during the off-season.

The problem is, a lot of people are still going to see this as an excuse to avoid using cleaner, domestically-produced ethanol in their cars and trucks, for no food reason. So, now I understand the rationale for the signs, but I still don’t like it.

I had an illuminating chat the other day with Alexis Coffey, Freightliner Trucks’ Medium-Duty Marketing Manager, about her company’s plans for producing hybrid work trucks. Production is already underway, so if you’ve been thinking about adding a hybrid work truck or stepvan to your fleet, Freightliner is taking orders…

According to Coffey, Freightliner Custom Chassis has been building hybrids for the delivery van market since 2003, and it’s this proven hybrid system that is now available on the Class-6 and -7 Business Class M2. “We started the concept truck two years ago, and now we’re in ‘pre-series,’” she said. “This year we could build 400 to 500 trucks. And going into full production at the beginning of next year, we’ll be talking about very high numbers. You bring me the order and I’ll build you the truck!”

Coffey sees the greatest potential for the new M2 hybrid in the utility market, in large part because the lift and the PTO on a bucket truck can be run silently on the hybrid’s battery pack. Imagine no more shouting between the guy in the bucket and the gal on the ground, because the truck isn’t running (The engine only starts up for a few minutes at a time to recharge the batteries when they get low)!

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s phenomenal news when a truck OEM like Freightliner puts it money where its mouth is and starts putting this type of advanced technology on the market. Of course it will only succeed if there’s a ready market for these trucks, and that’s where you come in. Place your orders now!