Note 4 - Related Party Transactions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

4.  Related Party Transactions

The following related party transactions occurred during the three years ended December 31, 2011;

(a)           We purchase fuel and obtain tires and related services from a company in which one of our directors is the president and a principal stockholder.  We paid that company $1.4 million in 2011, $815,000 in 2010 and $796,000 in 2009 for fuel and tire services.  In addition, we paid $1.7 million in each of 2011 and 2010 and $1.5 million in 2009 to tire manufacturers for tires that we purchased from the tire manufacturers but were provided by the same company.  The same company received commissions from the tire manufacturers related to these purchases.  We did not have any accounts payable to that company as of December 31, 2011 and had accounts payable of $44,000 as of December 31, 2010.

(b)           We paid $615,000 in 2011, $262,000 in 2010 and $1.1 million in 2009 for various construction projects to a company in which one of our directors is the president and owner.  We had accrued liabilities to that company of $28,000 as of December 31, 2011, and accounts payable of $56,000 as of December 31, 2010.