More and more truckers fill their rigs with biodiesel and more truck stops begin selling biodiesel blends as the popularity of American-made biodiesel goes on the rise. The trucking industry is turning to biodiesel as a supplement to standard diesel fuel. This renewable fuel has the additional benefits of helping reduce US dependence on foreign oil, supporting native farmers and protecting the environment.
Biodiesel is an alternate fuel made from animal fat or vegetable oil such as soybean oil, it works in any diesel engine. Biodiesel can be blended with regular diesel at any level or can be used in its pure form.
Willie Nelson Biodiesel, a legendary musician and biodiesel advocate company has built various pumps at truck stops throughout all of the United States. The pumps deliver B20, a mixture of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel.
In June 2005, Nelson was in Greer, South Carolina at a Spinx Co. filling station to inaugurate the first truck stop on the Eastern Seaboard to offer biodiesel to truck drivers and other motorists. Representatives say that other truck stops carrying B20 along the east coast from Miami to Rochester are in plans for the future.
Joe Jobe, chief executive officer of the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) pointed that "concerns about our growing dependence on Middle Eastern oil and Willie Nelson's advocacy of biodiesel have helped propel awareness about biodiesel in the trucking industry," He also noted that national energy initiatives are helping to make biodiesel more cost competitive; each day we hear about new truckers who are interested in the benefits of biodiesel.
Due to the great interest in biodiesel that the trucking industry has, the NBB built: Biotrucker.com, a source for truckers in particular. Biotrucker.com includes the latest information about technical information, biodiesel availability and other current news from the biodiesel industry. It also holds trucker testimonials and discussion boards. The site encourages truckers to show their support for biodiesel by becoming a "BioTrucker" to receive the latest biodiesel-related news and information.