[Editorial] Diesel Prices Burden Truck Drivers

The recent surge in diesel prices is threatening the livelihood of cargo truck and small delivery truck drivers. Some of them even stay up all night in their trucks to scare off oil thieves or risk their lives for break-free night-driving to save oil. Furthermore, drivers are lining up their trucks in front of major ports, saying that the more you drive, the more you lose.

Diesel prices have surpassed the 2,000 won per liter mark, posting a tenfold increase over the past 18 years in contrast to a fivefold rise in gasoline prices during the same period. Despite the relatively low tax rates imposed on diesel, which is mostly imported for industrial use, diesel prices exceeded those of gasoline due to the soaring demand in newly-emerging economies such as China and India. The unpredictability of the price hike left many truck drivers in utter bewilderment.

The Korea Cargo Transport Workers Union announced that it will go on strike unless the government comes up with follow-up measures to the diesel price hike, such as the introduction of a standard rate system or tax reduction. Specifically, it demanded the government to reduce tax on diesel used in 1-ton trucks for cargo transportation or other businesses for livelihood, just as the government exempts taxes on gasoline used in fishing ships and agricultural machinery. Although there will be limits in alleviating the burden of the global oil price hike through tax mechanisms, the government should at least make an attempt to reduce the pain of truck drivers who rely on diesel for living. Furthermore, it must prevent major disruption in the nation’s distribution network that may be caused by a walkout. If such a strike does occur, it would deepen the nation’s already-serious economic woes.

Truck drivers who hit the road for living face a higher possibility of having their drivers’ license suspended as they receive more black marks related to driving than drivers of other vehicle types since they spend more time on the city’s busy roads. Although regulations must be strictly applied, the government can shorten the period of truck drivers’ license suspension in times like this and instead oblige them to take a training course to grow better driving habits.

The government has reiterated its pledge to maintain its ratio of diesel to gasoline in prices 85:100. Keeping that promise alone would contribute greatly to lifting the burden on truck drivers. Another effective way of helping them is to raise the cost of using cargo trucks to offset the rise in diesel prices, which will then split the burden between consignors and drivers.