Truckers Going to Mexico to Buy their Fuel?!
Posted on Apr 25, 2008 - 4:37pm by Jason Hilton in Alternative Fuels, Economy, Video
This country’s fuel prices has gotten so out of hand, that our “American” truckers are going to “Mexico” fuel stops to fill up. It’s approximately $2.00 cheaper in Mexico per gallon than it is here in the USA. I do not know about you all, but this is making me sick to my stomach. What kind of country do we live in where the Government is pushing our Transportation industry to such an extreme as to fuel their vehicles in another country? It’s cheaper for owner ops to purchase the permits for Mexico, then drive to Mexico to fill up.
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What’s the difference between that and going across a border for prescription drugs or anything else that’s cheaper somewhere else. Good for them.
The only difference here is, we are talking about fuel, not prescriptions. I am happy truckers have found a cheaper way to get fuel. I am saddened that some truckers don’t have a choice but to fuel in mexico or they will go out of business. I blame our government for that.
You’re right Jason to a degree. China is buying so much fuel in order for us to keep getting it we’ll need to pay what their asking, or lose our share. I also blame the futures market for our predictament. I’m a business owner, and I can’t make a profit, you can bet I’ll be going to Mexico to buy fuel.
Isn’t it the same thing as shopping at one store as opposed to another for a bargain?
I’m curious as to how much a permit costs to run in Mexico?
Also when I did a search on Google the “newest” article I could find was in the beginning of April.
I also saw on “Yahoo Answers” where they are limiting how much fuel can be bought.
And to those of you who are mechanicially inclined – here’s a question: If the newer engines in the trucks only “like” ULSD – why take the risk of buying cheaper fuel that may ruin your engine? (Maybe ruin the injectors?)
One little, tiny, minor, nit picking detail.
It’s ILLEGAL to run anything other than ultra low sulphur in 2007 or later model year diesel engines.
Sooooooo….go to Mexico. Get dirty fuel. Come back across the border. Get stopped, get big fine. Probably a BIG fine. Might decertify your engine so that it can no longer be used in the US. Who knows…but I bet they put a stop to THAT right quick. Fuel taxes don’t you know.
Just speculating.
Mexico does not sell “dirty fuel.” Believe it or not, it is the 21st century in Mexico – just like it is everywhere else.
That issue didn’t come up in the video. Those that are doing it, probably know it and probably don’t have a 2007 motor. No worries.
Not quite as simple as the video suggests to go across the border to buy your fuel.
I don’t know about the permits, although US trucks are permitted within the commercial zone in Mexico. One thing in the video that stood out was the company owner speaking was apparently Mexican and probably has Mexican authority also.
Importing the fuel back into the US would pose a problem also with taxes and whatever.
Everitt, I drive a 2004 Jetta TDI with a high tech diesel engine in it. When I say high tech, I mean extremely close tolerances and extremely high injector pressure. I buy my diesel in Mexico at $5.65 pesos per liter or about $2.24 cpg. There is absolutely no difference in the quality of the diesel produced by PEMEX and the quality of the diesel we buy in the US. It is 500ppm although refineries in Mexico are beginning to produce the ULSD for all the 2008 trucks being bought by the carriers in Mexico.
Also, quite a bit of gasoline and diesel is refined in Mexico by PEMEX and sent to the US via pipeline.
But you know, if Mexico can nationalize their petroleum production and keep consumer costs low, in addition to subsidizing the Mexican trucking industry with a 20% discount on fleet purchases, perhaps they are well ahead of the US in some things.
I took a trip to Monterrey this past weekend and stopped at a PEMEX fuel stop south of town. While the attendant was filling the car (12 gallons for $280 pesos) I noticed posted on the attendants desk, instructions for fueling individual fleets, buses and trucks. They don’t use COMDATA or similar in Mexico, but each carriers has open accounts which are billed to the carrier once a month. An interesting idea wouldn’t you think?
Donna, actually, 500ppm diesel would not ruin the injectors in the 2007 and newer engines.
The sulfur in diesel is a lubricant and can only be good for the injectors, cam nodes and other moving parts in the top end.
Where the problems would happen would be in the particulate filter which would foul up sooner than the 60,000 mile service interval. And as I understand it, these are some expensive items to replace.