June 25, 2008
AT THE PUMPS
By Dame Zine
When Motors Rev and Cash Registers Ring
Rising airline fuel costs are sending airfares skyrocketing and bringing summer vacation plans down to earth fast. Yet auto trips no longer offer a cheap alternative. Nevertheless the U.S. Department of Energy reveals that United States consumes about 10 million barrels (400 million gallons) of gasoline each day. There are 210 million motor vehicles in the U.S traveling over 7 billion miles per day.
Currently, soaring gasoline costs are mounting up and wearing us down fast.
Consumers have very little power as individuals in the energy market but, if consumers collectively give the same "market signal," they could impact gasoline prices. When consumers buy gasoline at service stations in their areas with the lowest price, they take market share away from higher-priced stations; these stations may then eventually reduce their prices to be more competitive.
CLICK HERE for CHEAP GAS: this site directs you to a map of gas station addresses in your area, listing both brands and prices. Prices are updated daily.
Money saving tips for buying gas:
1. Buy gas in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Gasoline station storage tanks are subterranean. When the ground is cold, gasoline is denser which produces less vapor while pumping, giving you more value for your dollar.
2. Fill up when your gas tank is still HALF FULL. The more gas you have in your tank the less air occupies its empty space, decreasing gasoline evaporation.
3. When you're filling up, use the lowest setting on the gas trigger (slow mode). This reduces accumulation of gas vapors in your tank.
What They Don't Teach You in College about Gas: Forget the Beeno and Read On!
According to the U.S. Department of Energy California gasoline prices are more variable than prices in other States. Due to its environmental protection requirements, California's gasoline program has a higher cost of clean fuel. California was one of the first States to ban the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) after it was detected in ground water. In addition to the higher cost of cleaner fuel requirements, there is a CA State sales tax of 7.25 percent on top of an 18.4 cent-per-gallon Federal excise tax and an 18.0 cent-per-gallon State excise tax. The national average retail price from 2000 to 2007 for a gallon of regular grade gasoline was $1.91. In 2007, the average retail price jumped to $2.80. The June 2008 Marin average for regular grade gasoline is now $4.31 and rising. \
Consumers could choose to impact the rising market by reducing gasoline consumption. If enough people switch to public transportation, or switch to more energy efficient vehicles, gasoline demand would decline and prices might fall.
Curious to understand more about rising gas prices?
Check this report out! U.S. Energy Information Administration, A Primer on Gasoline Prices, September 2005.
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