Best Days, Still Ahead The rise of natural gas in the trucking industry
By Todd Traub Contributing Writer
People of a certain age may recall
with a shudder the energy crisis of the 1970s. Major industrial nations, including
the United States, faced a double wham- my of petroleum shortages and higher prices. World politics also affected oil supplies as the years 1973 and 1979 were particularly nightmarish for U.S. consumers. Long lines at gas stations and
lowered thermostat settings marked an era in which the United States’ reli- ance on foreign oil was coming home, like the proverbial chickens, to roost in the homes and pocketbooks of average Americans. Well, we’ve come a long way. Thanks to extraction technology
and aggressive development of domestic oil fields and shale plays, the United States is the world’s leading provider of petroleum and natural gas hydrocar- bons. That’s right. The U.S. is not only fuel rich, it has choices. A few years ago high oil prices
affecting the cost of gasoline and die- sel fuel made cleaner-burning natural gas, which was becoming more and more available and was much more affordable, making it an attractive and viable alternative fuel for the trans- portation industry. Natural gas’s best days are probably still ahead said Steve Goreham, energy expert, author and public speaker.
ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT | Issue 4 2016
“WE’VE HAD A REVOLUTION, AND PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE HOW BIG IT IS.”
—STEVE GOREHAM, ENERGY EXPERT, AUTHER AND PUBLIC SPEAKER
SLOW REVOLUTION Goreham is a former Naval air
reservist who worked in the electrical engineering field for 30 years, 24 with Motorola, before becoming interested in climate and energy, which led to a shifting of career gears after a stint as vice president and general manager of Panduit Corporation ended in 2008. Goreham, author of two books
with a third about to be published, learned about pollutants and Environmental Protection Agency
regulations in his previous career, helping his company with regulatory compliance. “We’ve had a revolution, and peo-
ple don’t realize how big it is,” Goreham said of the natural gas surge. Energy experts are optimistic about
the growth of natural gas as a viable alternative fuel. The reality is that alter- native fuels currently move a very small percentage of freight, and the natural
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