Thanks in part to record high fuel prices, an informal survey by Special Events Magazine this month reveals that the cost of operating an event rental truck fleet is 16 percent higher than it was a year ago, one more burden for an industry still fighting to bounce back from the economic doldrums of the past few years.

For event rental companies, some of which have fleets of as many as 60 trucks, such price spikes sting.

The Special Events survey also shows that while 43 percent of respondents have either started charging higher delivery fees or adding fuel surcharges in light of the recent run-up in fuel prices, fully 57 percent have simply absorbed the cost.

For more on the subject, see the July issue of Special Events.