Economics of Travel – Gas Prices
Posted on June 17, 2009
Filed Under economy | 4 Comments
Have you ever noticed when you travel up and down the interstate that gas prices vary wildly from exit to exit or from state to state? In traveling back and forth to my parents house 4 states away, I generally have to get gas at twice. And believe me, prices can vary by as much as a quarter per gallon between exits.
I had to clean out some sheds while I was there so I drove my truck. It has dual tanks and holds 30 gallons of gas. A 25 cent difference per gallon equals a $30 difference per trip. Virginia gas prices vary greatly depending on the station and the area. I know the cheapest prices locally so I always fill up on my way out.
I also know that North Carolina has a high gas tax and that drives their prices up considerably. Their gas prices are generally 25 – 30 cents higher than Virginia or South Carolina so I try my best to get gas in those states both coming and going. While $30 is not a huge amount, it is money that could be either spent on something else or money that could be saved.
I have not found any really good source online to check gas prices in different states and cities. Does anyone know of one? Do you shop for cheaper gas prices at home or while you are traveling?
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I travel from L.A. to Vegas and I already notice the difference. Congress definitely has to investigate the rise in gas prices amidst one of the worst recessions in our country’s history. It’s breaking the back of Americans.
I travel between Mass, Conn and RI on a regular basis and gas prices have at least a 20c per gallon difference. Plus gas has gone up almost 40c this past month in my area. Conn has crazy gas taxes, Mass is not so bad. I try to fill up in the cheapest state each weekend.
OMG I just filled up in Los Angeles and gas is $3.17. OUCH!
I think it is quite difficult to check all the prices when You are on road (or plan a roadtrip). Not every gas station has a website, and not every website is reliable… I think that finding one cheap station, buying more that can be stored in Your trunk may be a good idea. What do You think about it?