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Gasoline’s Wild Ride
Gas prices this year have been a wild ride.
The average price of a gallon of gas in Atlanta rose 33% between January 1 and June 30. And with each painful trip to the pump, our vocabulary was enriched through phrases like "light sweet crude," "E85" and "petroleum reserves" ... and a few words that cannot be repeated here.
Certainly, crossing the $4-a-gallon threshold has motivated people to drive less. Nationwide, June marked the eighth consecutive month that the number of miles driven on our interstates declined. And from May through July, The Clean Air Campaign experienced a 1,800% spike in the number of commuters who currently drive alone who were ready to make the switch (and earn an incentive) compared to the same period last year.
But in August, the price at the pump began to retreat. The marquees at the gas stations have rolled back from $3.99 to $3.69 in the past two weeks. And while we recognize the cost of gas is still hurting our wallets, many commuters are preconditioned to feel like the recent slide in prices is providing significant relief.
How do you feel about gasoline’s wild ride? Is the latest decline causing you to change your commute behavior and drive solo again? Or are you sticking with an alternative mode? Let us know what’s different for you – or what remains the same – in the wake of lower prices at the pump.