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Prices at the pump starting to inch up
Published 7/13/2011 in Local News
By ANGIE HAFLICH
ahaflich@gctelegram.com
Gas prices are going back up and are expected to continue to rise.
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Brad Nading/Telegram Motorists make their way along the 1600 block of East Kansas Avenue Tuesday past a fuel price sign. Prices are beginning to increase.
As of this morning, Garden City's average price for regular unleaded gasoline was reported at $3.589 per gallon, lower than the state's average of $3.611 and a few cents lower than the national average of $3.645, according to discover.aaa.com. Gas prices are rising again after dipping to an average of $3.399 per gallon in Garden City a few weeks ago, but they're still less than they were most of June, when local prices hovered near the $4 mark.
Average gas prices in surrounding areas today are within five cents, with Dodge City reporting $3.562 per gallon, Liberal reporting $3.609, Scott City reporting $3.563 and Syracuse reporting $3.579.
This morning, the Shell station at Fleming and Mary streets in Garden City was reporting the second lowest price in the state at $3.39 per gallon, according to kansasgasprices.com, just behind Eudora, where one station was reporting a price of $3.38.
Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com, said the price of crude oil is now $95 per barrel, up $6 from where it had been a few weeks ago. As a result of the surplus of supply that had driven prices down, oil-producing countries cut production, causing the prices to once again rise.
"When oil prices go up, gasoline prices have a tendency to follow a week or two later, and that's exactly what we're seeing now," DeHaan said.
The prices may continue to rise in Garden City and surrounding areas, as gas stations begin receiving deliveries of higher-cost gasoline.
"Stations generally buy gas every two to four days, so if a station gets caught paying higher prices than another station, they're obviously going to want to charge more to make up for the additional cost they incurred," DeHaan said. "It can depend on when they get their deliveries. If they get a delivery and the station across the street doesn't, they may have to hold their price down."
Because of this volatility in gas prices, and no foreseeable relief in sight, many seek other ways to increase fuel efficiency. DeHaan said that the term most often used for these savvy folks is hyper-milers.
The website, www.fueleconomy.gov, offers several tips to aid consumers, including hyper-miles, in obtaining better fuel efficiency:
* Driving more sensibly means avoiding aggressive driving habits (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) which can lower fuel efficiency by 5 to 33 percent.
* Another way to conserve gas is to observe the speed limit. While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), fuel efficiency usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
* For every 100 pounds of weight added to a car, approximately two miles per gallon is lost, depending on the weight relative to the size of the vehicle.
DeHaan said that the myth that the gas tank should always be "topped-off" actually decreases gas mileage, as a result of the extra weight.
* Using cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed, which saves gas.
* Overdrive gears reduce engine speed, therefore reducing gas consumption.
The website notes that cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $3.65/gallon.
DeHaan recently tested some of these tips, himself.
"I did kind of a non-scientific survey myself," he said. "I was using cruise control, anywhere the speed limit was 35 or higher and if the road was open; I'd coast to the red light instead of using more gasoline. And instead of going 75 on the highway, I went about 67 mph. Basically my car is rated 25 MPG., and overall I was able to get it up to 32 MPG, so that's a pretty significant jump."
Another of the suggestions made by the website was performing proper maintenance, which includes:
* Keeping the engine tuned can, in some cases, improve fuel efficiency by up to 4 percent, or $0.15 per gallon.
* Keeping tires properly inflated can improve fuel efficiency by up to 3.3 percent, or $0.11 per gallon
* Use of manufacturer recommended grade oil can increase fuel efficiency by 1 to 2 percent, or $0.04 to $0.07 per gallon.
DeHaan said, "A lot of folks don't properly maintain their vehicle, and that can essentially reduce fuel economy. Properly inflated tires are very important. In fact, that's so important now, federal law requires manufacturers to put devices on vehicles that monitor air pressure."
According to the website, planning and combining trips can save on gas, as well:
* Combining errands into one trip saves time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multi-purpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.
* Commuting tips include: participating in carpools and ride-share programs and using public transit when available and convenient.
Lastly, the web site suggests that when shopping for a new car, consumers should factor the anticipated fuel efficiency into the equation. It states that the difference between a car that gets 20 miles per gallon and one that gets 30 miles per gallon amounts to $913 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3.65). Otherwise, the best way to save on gas is to shop around. There are many websites now available to consumers that allow them to pre-plan where they will fill-up, before they even leave the house.
The website discoveraaa.com shows gas prices at locations based on zip code searches. Kansasgasprices.com offers a similar service on its home page, and it also shows the high and low gas prices in the state.
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