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The United States wants to do business with truck fleets that are more fuel-efficient, better for the environment and cheaper to operate.

The adoption of natural gas as a transportation fuel continues to pick up speed. It is no surprise to me: I spent more than 30 years in the waste business and was the CEO of Republic Services, which is now the nation’s second-largest waste services provider, when the industry began to consider transitioning from diesel, a fuel we had used for decades. I understand the challenges in making the decision to switch to natural gas.

With apologies to Charles Erwin Wilson of General Motors in 1919, “What is good for trucking is good for America.” The responsible development of North America’s shale oil and gas reserves has been very good for trucking — especially for the tank truck segment — and represents our nations’ best chance to achieve energy independence.

America’s natural-gas boom has the potential to be another big win — if we work together to do it the right way. But if we don’t get it right, substituting natural gas for diesel in our longhaul trucking fleet could just as easily become a losing proposition for everyone concerned.

Anyone who works with diesel fuel — stored or otherwise — knows that water comes with the territory.

Perhaps your company already has explored myriad ways to reduce the cost of on-road fuel. But have you considered hedging the cost of your on-road fuel?

As the price of a barrel of oil stands in excess of $100, we should remember how dependent the trucking industry is on petroleum-derived diesel fuel.

Traditionally, fuel has been second only to drivers as the highest variable expense truckload companies face. Since the price of fuel probably isn’t going down anytime soon, this a good time for carriers interested in future prosperity to review the costs associated with fuel.

Staggeringly high prices for fuel are with us again. The last time fuel prices were hovering in the neighborhood of $3.80 to $4.40 per gallon, many trucking companies fought back aggressively, using fuel conservation techniques and making sure drivers used the cheapest options available.