Fuel prices dampen tourist enthusiasm to drive to Alaska in 2008: industrial trucks continue traveling the Alaska Highway.

• Author: Liles, Patricia
• Position: OIL & GAS

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Campgrounds and RV parks scattered throughout northwestern Canada and eastern Interior Alaska seemed oddly quiet in mid-July, which is typically the peak of the summer tourist driving season for the Alaska Highway. Many blamed soaring fuel prices in 2008 as a strongly-dampening impact on the independent tourist traffic that normally adds to Alaska's scenic highways.

Yet during the summer months of 2008, the Alaska Highway continued to host regular passage of semi-trucks pulling heavily-laden trailers, despite substantial fuel surcharges for that truck freight service.

THE TRUCKS JUST KEEP ON ROLLING

Carlile Transportation Systems, which offers regular-scheduled over-the-road truck freight service to Alaska from Tacoma, Minneapolis and Houston, has experienced a slight decline in freight hauled up the Alaska Highway so far this year. But despite the soaring fuel prices, the company's customers continue to ship on a weekly basis freight using the semi-tractor trailers.

"It was down a little at the beginning of the year, but it's picked back up somewhat," said Linda Leary, president of Carlile. "The fuel price has had some affect, but I think people have gotten over the shock. In Alaska, things still have to go on and everything still has to come into the state."

Topping off a semi-tractor truck, or power unit, runs about $1,000 a fill, according to Tammy Alexander, Carlile's Intrastate line-haul manager. Fuel mileage for semi trucks typically ranges from 4.5 to 5.5 miles per gallon, she said, "... if they're driving the trucks right."

At Carlile, truck drivers work in teams, allowing a load to be delivered from Tacoma to either Anchorage or Fairbanks in 52 hours, from Minneapolis, in 72 hours and from Houston, in seven days. Truck drivers carry company credit cards and can choose their refueling location, Alexander said.

"Most of the drivers know where they can get fuel, where they can get in and have services they need ... they have a routine they get into, so they do most of their fueling at the same places every time," she said. "At the Trading Post in Teslin, they really take care of the drivers--they give them free showers. And if the guys break down, they'll get up in the middle of the night to go help them."

Fuel station operators cultivate those relationships with truck drivers, through pricing, service and emergency assistance, when needed. Sharon Johnson owns and operates the fuel station and gift shop at...