Ongoing controversy over tax increase on gas in Arkansas

When diesel fuel prices fluctuate, it can greatly affect trucking companies and how they handle their costs. A recent proposal in Arkansas went unsupported by officials that could have increased the tax on diesel by five cents a gallon, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.

The Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) was a frontrunner in lobbying against the idea, citing that increased fees would put a damper on business. Extra taxes already approved for the ballot are supposed to help pay for fixing the state’s highways. This additional five cents was to raise funds for a bond program.

Lane Kidd, president of the ATA, wrote a letter to the governor urging that the bill not be endorsed. Instead, Kidd proposed an extension on the tax already on the fuel for 4 cents a gallon.

There are a few options in fleet management that can help further prevent fuel costs from getting out of hand. According to Wyo Tech, new research has found ways to reduce the use of diesel in the future. Trucks will have more options in design, such as hybrid models and improvements in aerodynamics.

Ongoing controversy over tax increase on gas in Arkansas

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011