4 dollar gallon gas is here

[YerDugliness]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Much of the cost of diesel is diesel specific taxes imposed on the assumption that taxing diesel compensates for road repairs caused by heavy trucks. It penalizes the consumer (pickups and passenger vehicles).

In KS there is a dye in the diesel that has had road taxes paid on it....but not in the agriculturally related diesel (which, AFAIK, is the same diesel without the dye). Many farmers have their own 500 gallon above ground gasoline and diesel tanks, and they get delivery by large tankers just like the gas stations. I could see how they could say that their only use for the diesel would be agricultural and therefore not pay road taxes on it, but if the authorities were to check gas tanks (and they DO go to the livestock auction houses and check to see that the semi-tractor's tanks contain diesel with the dye in them) and find it is clear agricultural diesel they will ticket the owner/operator. I guess the farmers could buy some dye and put it in themselves, but I'd bet the refineries keep the type of dye they use a highly guarded secret.

I do remember how diesel was $.20/gallon cheaper in the 70's, when gas was below $1.00/gallon.

Not quite sure how to avoid "penalizing" the diesel automobiles and pickups without the semi-tractor drivers taking advantage of the situation. Nobody who runs a gas station wants to be the "dye police", I'm sure! I see the TX DPS running checkpoints on the major interstate routes, perhaps they already do a fuel check.

Cheers from Dugly