As a Trucker from Michigan, this is my perspective in a letter to Sen. McCain on the urgent issue of drilling at ANWR:

July 14, 2008

Dear Senator McCain,

As our Presidential nominee and a great leader in the Senate, please review the following facts and please consider changing your position on drilling in ANWR, IMMEDIATELY!!!

Based on the following facts, you would be totally justified in changing your position on this and you could even sponsor a bill in the Senate that would force Senator Obama to vote against it and the American People's pocketbooks!!! I would love to see you two debate this in the Presidential Debates later this year, prior to the general election in November!!!

I made a delivery this morning in Canton, Michigan...after I received my fuel advance, I went to the closest truck stop and bought fuel. The load was a short run and I only received $120.00 for my advance.

I got to the truck stop and diesel fuel was $4.899 a gallon and it feels like it's over 80 degrees here today...which means the pumps are hotter than they were when they were calibrated, so I'm going to get less actual fuel than it says on the pump.
Regardless, I was only able to buy 24.484 gallons for $119.95.

Based on my truck getting 6 MPG, I'll only be able to do my next run if it is less than 120 miles or closer (5 gallons/30 miles will be needed to run my generator/APU while I wait for my next load today). Based on my first short run and another short run hopefully this afternoon, I won't drive enough loaded miles today to pay my bills for today!!!

I will be at a loss for today, that I will have to make up tomorrow, plus be
profitable on my runs tomorrow for tomorrow, or eventually I'm going to have to stop trucking!!!! I am not the Federal Government and cannot continue to run my trucking business on a deficit or at a loss. I don't get to just print more money to pay my bills...my creditors want real money from me!!!

We need lower oil, diesel fuel and gas prices IMMEDIATELY!!!

Please review these facts and come out and tell the American people that you have made an informed decision and have changed your position on drilling in ANWR, ... and as a result you are introducing (for the Senate's IMMEDIATE consideration) a bill that will allow American oil companies to drill in ANWR!

I'd rather give my money to American oil companies than give it to the Middle East!
I'd rather they put my fellow Americans to work by getting us that oil, and maybe
increasing the supply enough to have the market force down these high prices,
IMMEDIATELY!!!

Thank you Senator McCain for your time and consideration of my opinions. The comparison, perspective, and photos below say it much better than I can. http://blog.heritage.org/2008/06/29/the-truth-about-anwr/

A Truck Driver from Michigan,

Randy Bishop