It's not cheap to fill up your car with gas. So imagine having to fuel a huge diesel rig up every single day. Bayou Concrete Pumping in Laplace does just that with seven trucks. But with fuel costs going from eight thousand a month to 17 thousand dollars, the owners are afraid about what the future holds for their business and employees.

Earl Dufrene has been in the concrete business for 30 years. "I'm not new to the industry," he says. He, along with Julio Arana have owned Bayou Concrete Pumping in Laplace for a year and a half. But they're concerned over the future. "The problem is the fuel. The fuel costs," says Earl.

Bayou Concrete Pumping is a fleet of seven trucks. Last year the fuel cost averaged $8,000 dollars a month. Now, Earl says it's $17,000 dollars a month. But high costs affect more than the company. If you're looking to build and need a concrete slab, Earl says you're going to absorb the fuel charge. "What happens when you pass it on to the consumer is that everything goes up. Then eventually, the prices exceed the values of the properties and construction will stop." Earl says consumers are paying a 20% fuel charge, and work is slowing down.

"If it shuts the company down, Bayou Concrete Company, I got to go look for a job somewhere else," says Huey Marcel. He's a pump operator and the family man is now concerned about job security. "The food prices, fuel is going up. You know pay raises not going up, so I don't know what it's going to come down to."

Earl says, "We can't set a budget because we don't even know how to set a budget." So, Earl and his staff are heading to the Capitol to rally against high gas prices. "We need help. We don't need help two years from now. We need help now from the fuel prices." Without help, Earl says he may not be in business in two years.

He wants people to join his staff and other business when they head to Baton Rouge. Monday, June 23, he says anyone can take the podium from 10AM to 2PM to talk about the personal affects of high gas prices. For more rally information, call 958-651-4333. He's looking for companies, individuals, families, anyone who drives to join him to rally on the Capitol steps.

Laila Morcos,

June 18, 2008

How many cost a fuel in USA?

Down here in Southern California were paying $5.62 a gallon for Diesiel and $4.92 for 87 gas were running 27 concrete pumps and 2 conveyor belts with 1 F-450, 1 F-350, 3 F250 and 3 F-150 it definently isn't cheap if you do the math.

Right down the street from are yard there is a company that is converting gas and Diesiel trucks over to water for about $450 I have a buddy right now that is trying this out to see if it affects the vehicle in any other way and he's had it for 8 months like this and so far no problems. we'll proably wait four months and see what happens then convert our pick-ups over to this method. I personally have a hard time believing that a truck can run off of water and not have internal problems with the motor but we'll see 

in Estonia 1litre diesel 20 eek=7,6 usd/gallon...

EEK !!! just about covers my feeling on this issue

Hey SoCal 153

I need to talk to your friend, i have been looking into this, HHO its hydrogen, its been around for a while but just now getting practical. I want to do my suv, will he do that for me?

 I would like to go but I can't afford the gas.....

ah todd thats why you are in the software business and BB being savey business people are selling to thier customers that have the cash flow to survive. my business clips along fine but the customers are not paying thier bills and fuel that i absorb is putting me at risk. doing some real estate on the side ya thats in the toilit also. who tracks boom sales and who has what part of the market. how many manufactors do we need building with the same parts.

I know Earl and he makes some good points,but his point of passing it on with fuel surcharge is ridiculous,why should we carry the load of the cost of fuel you have to pass that cost on to your customers,and hes rite if he doesn't he want be in business for long,the pumping industry cannot carry the weight of the economy on its shoulders,our prices have to go up,if not we go down.The rally at the capitol as well as his intentions are they will do no good,we have to look at a day where we shutdown the nation no fuel bought at all,all government will stop,nothing will be transported,no police protection,no fire protection,no emergency medical services,no nothing,thats the only way to open the eyes of the greedy in the petrochemical industry,they would lose billions,fuel would go down and the economy would pick back just because of the destruction that would be caused in one day,businesses looted, buildings burnt,its scary what one day without fuel would do,but as long as congressman,senators,governors,presidents pockets are getting fatter nothing will be done until we take action as a nation united together,we can stop it we just have to do it not as individuals but as a united group,that is why we are living in the UNITED STATES