With 42 Kenworth trucks as part of his trucking fleet, Dubbo transport operator Rod Pilon has been keeping a keen eye on the Government’s carbon emission announcements.
Mr Pilon operates Rod Pilon Transport and his vehicles travel the highways of Australia on a non-stop basis.
As a result, he uses a high volume of fuel but with the topic of carbon footprints and carbon trading creating such a frenzy in the Government, Mr Pilon has taken steps to ‘go green’.
“We’ve been looking at using biofuels in our trucks,” Mr Pilon said.
“It’s something we started looking at probably 18 months ago, and we did that with the current situation in mind.
“The whole thing will take a long time to get right, and we are still only in the very early stages of it, but it is something we think will make us more efficient.
“Also, with fuel going up the way it is we had to start looking at alternatives.”
While electricity and gas prices are set to rise, the Government has already said it will offset any petrol price rises by cutting the fuel excise for at least the first three years of its scheme.
The move is contrary to the advice of the Government’s top climate change adviser, Professor Ross Garnaut, and has angered green groups.
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan said the ‘green paper’ put forward a responsible proposal.
“What we have put out is our preferred course of action but there is certainly room to move,” he said.
“When we finalise this in the white paper we’ll then move on to the politics.
“What we’ve got to do is fight for what’s right, fight for what will build prosperity in this country and deliver the jobs and prosperity that our children and grandchildren deserve.”