Gas Prices

Friday Funny: the Onion Asks, 'Why Are Gas Prices So Low?'
The Onion is back with its unique brand of hard-hitting satire on the conditions of American life. This time the joke is on Americans celebrating low prices at the pump.
Study Finds that Gasoline Prices Impact Home Values
A study published by the Brooking Institution finds varying results, depending on the neighborhood, for a study of the impact of gasoline prices on home values.
Michigan May Drop Fuel Excise Tax for Wholesale Sales Tax
The Republican-controlled Michigan State Senate voted November 13 to increase the state's 19-cents per gallon fuel tax by converting it to a wholesale fuel sales tax, resulting in an anticipated $1.2 billion annual revenue increase.
Like the Old Days: Average Fuel Economy Declines in the United States
A recent study at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute showed that September saw the largest decline in average fuel economy, from 25.8 mpg to 25.3 mpg, since December 2011.
'Hidden Gas Tax' or Not—California's Cap and Trade Policy Starts a New Era
Will California gas station see queues at their pumps on Dec. 31 as motorists seek their last fill-up before gas prices soar 15 cents per gallon, as AB 69 supporters warned? The bill died in the state legislature on August 22.
How Much Will Gas Prices Rise in California After Cap and Trade?
It could be as low as nine cents per gallon, or as high as 76 cents, writes UC Berkeley energy expert Severin Borenstein. On January 1, transportation fuels are included under California's landmark cap and trade program.
President Obama OKs Initial Crude Oil Export
An energy policy developed during the 1983 Arab oil embargo is loosening thanks to an order by the Commerce Department, though not as much as oil companies would like. Will gas prices rise? No, they will fall, argues energy expert Daniel Yergin.
U.S. Experiences Second-Highest Transit Ridership Since 1957
According to a new report, U.S. transit ridership increased to 10.5 billion rides in 2012 - a 1.5% increase over 2011, despite transit shutdowns and reductions caused by Superstorm Sandy. High gas prices, and their volatility, was a major cause.
Public Transit Use Continues to Rise
The American Public Transportation Association has released a new report showing that more people nationwide are taking buses and trains. Amid high has prices, young students and struggling families are being credited with the jump.
Odd-Even Gas Rationing Returns to New Jersey
It's 1973 again in 12 counties - this time Hurricane Sandy, rather than OPEC, is to blame. For those carrying gas cans rather than driving (or pushing) cars to the stations, they're exempt. The military and FEMA will deliver more fuel to NY and NJ.
Fuel Industry Incites Fear of CA's Low Carbon Fuel Standard
"You think 50 cents in one week is bad - wait till the state adopts the Low Carbon Fuel Standard", warns one critic, predicting increases three times as much. The regulation was devised by the CA Air Resources Board to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Getting To $2.50 Gasoline - A Marketplace Final Report
In this second and final look at how to achieve Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's promise of $2.50 gas, Marketplace's Kai Ryssdal reports on a subsidy strategy discussed in The Atlantic. Earlier he presented a price controls approach.
Gas Prices and the Value of Walkable Communities
The average family paid 25% more in gas in 2011 than they did in 2010. With that trend expected to continue into the foreseeable future, the case for the importance of walkable neighborhoods will grow along with it.
Gas Prices & Transit Ridership: New Report Details The Connection
Eric Jaffe reports on new research by urban travel behavior expert Bradley Lane of U. of Texas/El Paso on elasticity of gas prices and bus and rail ridership. Interestingly, rail ridership spiked twice as much as bus ridership when gas prices rose.
Gas Prices Drive Canadians to Bikes
Sunny Freeman of The Canadian Press takes to the streets to talk to bicyclists about their choice of conveyance. She says a gas price spike during the summer of 2008 pushed many Canadians onto two wheels.
Cheap(er) Gas Prices On Horizon
Gas prices have been dropping for a month. According to the chief oil analyst with the Oil Price Information Service in this radio interview, expect prices to continue dropping to as low as $3.25 a gallon, but don't expect lower than $3.00.
Gas Prices Fueling Political Squabbles
The highest gas prices since the summer of 2008 have the two political parties taking separate approaches toward the oil industry - each showing how effective they are at killing each other's plans.
Transit Use Up Again, Thanks to Expensive Gas
As reporter Robert J. Hawkins notes, "It's like 2008 all over again." Back then, skyrocketing gas prices sent people fleeing to use public transit. Today, the pattern remains the same, at least in San Diego.
Combating Gas Prices with Transit and Urban Design
As gas prices rise, more voices are calling for increased investments in transit and more multi-modal city planning.
$4 per Gallon Gas – Are We Ready?
With gas prices increasing rapidly, Scott Bernstein of the Center for Neighborhood Technology says the most effective solution is to reduce the demand by creating more "location-efficient" communities.
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