On-highway diesel fuel research project

OMB Control Number 1905-0186

May 28, 2020

Survey Development and Administration Team

Office of Survey Methods Research

On-Highway Diesel Fuel Cognitive Protocol

Research Objectives and Goals

The Survey Development and Administration Team will develop a cognitive research project that will focus in addressing the following overarching objectives/goals:

• Develop a list of attributes that may be used to develop an EIA glossary definition for truck-stop and for use to develop and maintain a truck stop frame file.

• Provide a classification system of what differentiates a truck-stop versus a gas station

• Understand how participants view and define a truck.

• Understand how participants view and define a truck-stop

• Determine if there are retail diesel fuel price differences between on-highway diesel fuel sales to trucks vs. automobiles.

• Explore the operational and pricing structure of Co-ops and hypermarketers, including membership benefits and pricing compared to non-members

• Determine the ability of participants to report total annual sales volumes and if they can break out annual sales volume by truck diesel and auto diesel

• Determine the time burden associated with reporting annual sales volume information

• Explore what other types of on-highway diesel fuel products are sold at these stations

• Assess whether sellers of retail on-highway diesel fuel in Alaska and Hawaii have the same understanding of terminology for trucks, truck-stops, and if their retail pricing differs based on the classifications above

• Assess how Oregon outlets selling retail on-highway diesel fuel display price data and identify what taxes (federal and/or state) are excluded from reported retail prices.

Introduction

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this interview about on-highway diesel fuel. My name is ______ and I work for the US Energy Information Administration. Today I would like to get your feedback and understanding regarding some terminology used in the trucking industry and the downstream marketing of on-highway diesel fuel. Our conversation and your responses are protected as confidential information.

• What is your position with your company?

Are you knowledgeable about your company’s retail on-highway diesel fuel sales?

I. On-Highway Diesel Fuel [Determine if participant is in scope]

1. Does your company have retail sales of on-highway diesel?

2. Do you have retail sales in more than one state?

3. Do you make retail sales of any other on-highway diesel fuel products?

1. If yes: What the other products?

4. Do you own the stations that make retail sales of on-highway diesel? 

II. Defining a Truck Stop

5. Do you consider your retail outlets truck stops? Why or Why not?

   1. If no: how would you classify your sites? (if necessary: what words come to mind?)

C-Stores	Gas Stations	Other:

6. Is your concept of a gas station the same as a C-Store?

7. Do you know if your location is registered as a truck stop by operators of tractor trailers?

8. In your opinion, are there differences between a truck stop and a gas station? If necessary: Tell me more

1. If yes, What are the differences?

   1. …exclusively for a truck stop? If necessary

   2. …exclusively for a gas station? If necessary

2. If necessary: How would you describe a truck stop?

   1. …exclusively for a truck stop? If necessary

   2. …exclusively for a gas station? If necessary

9. Of the following attributes listed, which ones do you consider important to truck stops:

Attributes	Yes	NO	Q8: Exclusive to Truck Stops
Easy access to the highway and station
Ample Parking Lot and lighting
Good security
Showers
Laundry room
Restaurant open 24/7
Truck part store: should include light bulbs, straps and ratchets, bars, placards, paperwork, and other supplies.
Truck Repair Service Center
Areas of Entertainment
Shipping services
Truck Wash
Cat Scale
High flow rate dispenser/hose

10. Of these elements listed, which ones do you consider exclusive to truck stops? If necessary: Would you like me to list them again.

11. Are there any other characteristics that we did not list that would be considered as a Truck Stop?

III. Defining a Truck

Let’s talk about the characters of a Truck.

12. I am going to read you a list of characteristics for a truck, I would like for you to tell me which ones do you consider are important for a vehicle to be considered a truck:

Characteristics	Yes	Follow-up
Weight factors? How heavy should it be?
Height? How tall should it be?
Length? How long should it be?
Number of wheels/axles? How many should they have?
Should have a cab?
Gears? How many gears should they have?
Fuel type? What fuel type?
Container holders
Require a CDL to operate

1. Are there any other elements that you would consider to classify a vehicle as a truck?

13. Do you consider the weight of the truck an important factor for retail sales of on-highway dieses in your station?

    1. Do you consider the light, medium, and heavy-duty categories useful classifications for trucks?

       1. If yes, are your customers mainly light, medium, or heavy duty trucks?

       2. If no, what are the main types of trucks that fuel at your station?

14. If the vehicle burns finished motor gasoline, would you still consider it a truck?

IV. Retail Diesel Fuel Price and Burden

15. Does your company have a different retail price for on-highway diesel fuel sales to autos and trucks?

1. If yes, how do you price the on-highway diesel fuel for trucks versus the price for autos?

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16. [FOR COOPS ONLY] Does this COOP sell retail diesel fuel or is the fuel only for members?

17. [FOR COOPS ONLY] Does this COOP have different prices for diesel fuel for members and non-members?

18. [FOR COOPS ONLY] Do members get a different price if fueling an automobile or truck?

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[FOR OREGON ONLY]

19. Is the retail price that you advertise the same as the price shown at the pump? 

    1. If No, what is the difference between the advertised price and the pump price?

    2. If necessary, does the retail price that you advertise to the public include taxes?

1. If yes, does it include both federal and state tax?

2. If no, what taxes are excluded?

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20. Do you have a different retail price for cash or credit card?

    1. If yes: What is the price difference?

21. Do you have pricing arrangements with fuel card systems or corporate credit cards?

    1. If yes, is there a different retail price versus non-fuel card holders?

1. If yes: can you describe the discount that the card-holder receives?

1. If necessary: how much is the price difference?

22. Do you maintain business records on retail sales of diesel fuel in the ordinary course of your business operations?

23. Can you report your company’s annual sales volumes of on-highway diesel fuel once per year?

1. If no: What are the problems preventing reporting of annual sales volumes?

2. If yes: How much time would it take you to report annual sales volumes?

1. Of that time, how much time would it take you to gather the information from your records to report annual sales volumes?

3. Could you separate on-highway fuel volumes by sales through truck stops and sales through gas stations?

2. ONLY IF YES how much time would it take you to gather the information from your records to report separate annual sales volumes by truck stop and gas stations?

4. Could you separate on-highway diesel fuel sales to trucks and sales to automobiles?

3. ONLY IF YES how much time would it take you to gather the information from your records to report separate annual sales volumes to trucks and sales to automobiles?

That is all the questions we have, did you have any questions for us?

Thank the participant for their time.

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