WASHINGTON (AP) – Horns blaring in a deafening fanfare, a convoy of truck drivers traveled to Washington on Monday to protest record fuel prices.

Members of Truckers and Citizens United circled the National Mall before parking their rigs at RFK Stadium. From there, about 100 protesters marched and took shuttles to the Capitol, where an afternoon rally was held.

“The high price for oil is hurting our economy,” organizer Mark Kirsch said. “It’s hurting middle class people.”

The national average price of a gallon of regular gasoline is a record $3.51, according to a recent survey of stations by AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. The price for diesel – used to transport most food, industrial and commercial goods – is $4.20 a gallon.

Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins met with members of the Coalition for Lower Fuel Prices who had driven from Maine to take part in the protest.

“It is painfully clear that the price of gasoline, home heating oil and diesel are creating tremendous hardships for these truckers and their families,” Collins said in a statement after her hour-long meeting. “We need a dramatic change in our energy policy to protect ourselves from rapid increases in oil prices without sacrificing our environment for future generations.”

Dave Gares, an independent trucker from Lebanon, Pa., said the $1,400 it costs to fill up his tractor-trailer with 220 gallons of diesel fuel has been a drain on his income.

William Lockridge of the Washington Metropolitan Area Truckers Association said independent truckers are barely breaking even. “If the truck stops, the economy stops,” he said.

The truckers are urging Congress to stop subsidizing big oil companies, release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, and end exports of oil from Alaska, among other things.

One passenger circling the Mall held a sign that read “Enough is Enough,” and a driver used a bullhorn to yell at Congress as he passed by.

Nathan and Tara Horn of Normal, Ill., said they were visiting museums and other sites, but came to the Capitol to see the truckers’ protest.

“Just knowing the influence that our citizens have to talk to our congressmen and senators … This is awesome,” said Nathan Horn, stopping to watch the trucks pass in the rain.”

Traffic was not significantly affected by the convoy of vehicles, though a few truckers drove through red lights as they honked their horns.

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On the Net:

Truckers and Citizens United: http://tinyurl.com/69xcba

AP-ES-04-28-08 1929EDT