Comment Log Display

The Statewide Truck and Bus Regulation would put us out of
business.

Diamond Well Drilling Company operates 4 drill rigs and several
boom trucks.  We travel very few miles but more than 7500 per year
with each.  Most of the time when our equipment is operating the
drive engine is either off or idling.  As such we contribute very
little pollution.  But still we are to be subject to the same rule
as over the road truck haulers.

What makes this rule so hard on us is that most of the value in
out equipment is in the drilling mechanism or the boom truck
mechanism.  As a result these pieces of equipment are very
expensive,  much more than a truck or bus would be.  A typical
drill rig costs $850,000.  Because these equipment are very
expensive and very durable they have 20 to 25 year useful lives for
us.  Replacing all our equipment in the next 1 to three years is
just not economically feasible.  For one thing none of us can get
loans now.  We cannot finance new purchases.  

Even if we could the economics of our business would change
dramatically if the useful life of our equipment is to reduced to 8
to 10 years.  Prices would have to double or triple.  Business is
already very slow.  We cannot raise our prices in this economic
environment and espect ot get any business.

Perhaps you say that everyone will have to raise their prices so
there will be no damage to any individual well driller. This is not
so. If the price of drilling goes up the price of construction goes
up.  People will be discouraged from developing altogether.  They
just will not build.  Everyone gets hurt and for no real reason
since our equipment does not drive that much and therefore pollutes
very little.

Dave Fulton