Page 39 - ATR 2 2012 web 2

transportation bill. (D-Nev.), an unlikely ally with Pickens to lobbyists and foreign oil interests. He
Pickens acknowledges that he and on his Pickens Plan introduced an has put his stake on the U.S. trucking
the Obama administration have their amendment to the current transporta- industry to help make his plan work, an
work cut out for them. The political tion bill that would have, among other industry not often known for leading
battle lines are forming. And Pickens’s things, offered a dollar for dollar tax dramatic political changes.
opponents are the same folks that you credit to trucking companies that con- If trucking hedges, Pickens’s best
might think are most politically aligned verted from diesel fuel to natural gas. efforts could fall short, edged out by a
with his beliefs. The amendment garnered 51 stout group of politicians, conservative
“Grover Norquist is against me,” votes, nine shy of the 60 required to think tanks and big oil, all of which
he says straightly. But Pickens says reach cloture and consider the amend- prefer the status quo, for various rea-
Norquist’s clout on this issue goes ment. Forty five Democrats but only sons, but with money being the primary
beyond his anti-tax group. “His biggest six Republicans voted for the tax credit driver. Pickens is convinced trucking
clients are the Saudis,” he says. amendment. executives will join him, and foster the
But it gets worse. Analysts point to the reasons why needed change in public policy that will
“The Koch brothers will be against the GOP Senators fell off the wagon. take America away from its dependence
me,” he continues, “because they have Five conservative groups, including the on foreign oil.
the greatest margins they’ve ever had Club for Growth and Americans for There are positive signs trucking
in the fertilizer and chemical business. Prosperity, sent a letter to each U.S. and its engine suppliers want to join
Plus they import 60,000 barrels of Senator opposing the amendment on Pickens. But time will tell. Either way,
OPEC crude every day and they are also free market and fiscal conservatism the trucking industry will play a pivotal
one of the biggest recipients of ethanol grounds, just as Pickens had predicted role in deciding if the United States
subsidies. So converting the country to they would do in our interview three finally adopts an independent energy
natural gas will hit all of their profit weeks before. policy that Boone Pickens has worked so
points. So they are putting a lot of But Pickens thinks it’s time long to achieve. That’s a legacy the U.S.
money out there against me.” Washington politicians stopped catering trucking industry should relish.
As if Grover Norquist and the Koch
brothers aren’t stout enough, throw in
the conservative think tanks Heritage
Foundation and the Cato Institute. Clean. Green. Committed.
“They are the same way,” he says. At C.R. England, sustainability is a driving
Nevertheless, Pickens isn’t used to force. It commands us to seek new ways
losing. And he certainly doesn’t want to conserve energy and lower greenhouse
the biggest quest of his business career gas emissions across all operations. That
to be a failure. He believes more than includes everything from equipment, like
anything that he has ‘right’ on his side. our innovative TempStack Container fleet
“It comes as you get older,” he and our ultra lightweight day cabs, to a
explains, “and I’m 83 so I’m closer to growing use of LNG tractors, improved
the end than I am the beginning but I aerodynamics and lower rolling resistance
look at this natural gas thing as divine tires. Our commitment to a healthier world is
intervention. I mean for this gas to recognized within our industry, by the federal
show up at this critical point for our government, and even among our customers.
country and all that it can mean, well, We are C.R. England.
the United States has a tremendous
opportunity.”
“But do we have the leadership?”
he rhetorically asks. “That’s been the
missing link. Number one, politicians
don’t seem to understand. Two, they 888-725-3737
won’t put anything in motion. And if cresales@crengland.com
we don’t put anything in motion, we www.crengland.com
will continue to rely on OPEC oil.”
To prove his point, Pickens experi-
enced a political setback in late March. National Regional Dedicated Intermodal Mexico Logistics
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

ArkAnSAS trucking report | issue 2 2012 39