Easter Travel Costs Up As Pump Prices Soar

April 7, 2012

That Easter weekend trip hit the pocketbook a little harder with gas prices up about 20 cents in the past month.

The average price Saturday in the Escambia County area for a gallon of regular unleaded was $3.86, up from $3.67 just a month ago. One year ago, that gallon of gas was $3.69.

The average price across Florida is $3.96 with cities like West Palm Beach and Miami already averaging about $4.05 a gallon. The local area record was $4.03 in July 2008, leading many motorists to change their driving to save money.

Gas prices across the United States continue to rise as tight supplies and refinery concerns keep upward pressure on prices. The current national average price for a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline is $3.92.  This price is three cents more expensive than one week ago, 17 cents more expensive than one month ago, and 28 cents more expensive than one year ago.  While the national average price continues to rise, the rate of increase has begun to slow.

Pictured: Gas at this station in Davisville was $3.86 per gallon, the Escambia County average. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

23 Responses to “Easter Travel Costs Up As Pump Prices Soar”

  1. David Huie Green on April 11th, 2012 10:57 am

    REGARDING:
    “The funny thing is, they never seem to run out.”

    Actually, they do. That is why the price had gone back down.

    The prices of spices used to go up whenever there was a war anywhere along the spice road between Europe and China. People didn’t know why the prices went up and always thought somebody was gouging them, but they did anyway. (By the way, in those cases, shipments were lost due to war and reduction in law enforcement, extra guards were required to protect the caravans, safer but longer routes had to be used. Everything added expenses to the investors. Those who didn‘t raise prices to compensate for higher expenses went broke and ceased to supply spices to customers.)

    David for the economics
    of peace and prosperity

  2. 429SCJ on April 11th, 2012 6:13 am

    There is always some sort of crisis, driving up the price of gasoline. The funny thing
    is, they never seem to run out.

  3. molino jim on April 8th, 2012 9:24 pm

    Sorry David—many times in covert operation there is no news leak or information put out. The Special Forces/Seals/Special operations groups go in and leave. I can see your point of view — but there are operations that go on or happen that are not in the news. We have supported a large number of governments that had our governments “hand picked” heads. As time went on those people thought that they had more power and control that they did. So that countries military would over throw the country and a new “hand picked” leader would take power. The middle East oil countries is a prime example.

  4. David Huie Green on April 8th, 2012 5:28 pm

    REGARDING:
    “Our country has been good at over throwing governments that we helped set up,”

    Not real good at it or we wouldn’t be putting our service personnel in harm’s way so often.

    David for maximum effect,
    minimum effort,
    minimum American casualties
    and caution

  5. molino jim on April 8th, 2012 12:57 pm

    @ David– try both–plus every president from Washington. We now use “hidden money” to cover most covert operations. As I recall Col. O. North took the heat to cover Reagan and there were a lot of questions about central America also. Our country has been good at over throwing governments that we helped set up, so is the game of politics played. The DOJ has funded a lot of “help” to countries that never shows up in the normal budget. So much for world politics on an Easter Sunday.

  6. Jane on April 8th, 2012 7:08 am

    BTW…the government now wants to tax us by milage…a milage tax will only hurt the people in rural areas…farmers, etc. Email your congressman if you don’t want that one added to our list of taxes!

  7. farm hill girl on April 8th, 2012 3:15 am

    gas has been 3.58-9 a gallon aall weekend at at least 4 cantonment stations

  8. David Huie Green on April 7th, 2012 8:57 pm

    REGARDING:
    “Do you recall where a lot of the items he had came from? How about George the first.”

    Nope, more like President Reagan. He played both sides against each other to some extent. Or at least he provided intellegence to Iraq and weapons to Iran (in exchange for American hostages and for money to send to the Contras, but still).

    We had diplomatic relations with Iraq and didn’t care how many died fighting the Iranians (around half a million easily, not that anybody cared) until he set his sights on Arab countries.

    David considering strange bedfellows

  9. Jane on April 7th, 2012 5:56 pm

    You are blaming the GOP congress…what about the democratic congress that Obama had the first two years? They wouldn’t even tell us what was in the health care law…so much for transperancy! And Obama wants to raise gas taxes! Do you think that won’t raise gas prices?

  10. Robert on April 7th, 2012 5:31 pm

    u know that most of us live where u have to drive some distence to go to work to the store. U know to survive. The govt made these automobiles arigonly so we would have reliable affordable transportation to make it a little easier for us to survive. Years go by our govt gets steadly more and more greedy. Republicans, i was led to beleave is for the super rich and the democrate for the middle and working class. But now can anyone tell them apart, i know i cant. Other than this republican means super rich and democrate for big bisness also super rich. Anyone see any difference i dont, your dommed with republican or democrate. And they all think they know whats best for the middle and working class americans correct me if im wrong but dictating how high u want gas prices to go and how much the middle and working class has to pay to survive is not a denocercey its a dictatership. Anyone remember Adolf Hittler he started as a soshelist then turned dictater.

  11. molino jim on April 7th, 2012 11:33 am

    @ David— Do you recall where a lot of the items he had came from? How about George the first.

  12. hmmm on April 7th, 2012 11:31 am

    I remember gas prices being over $4.00 when George Bush was in office. I love how everybody blames Obama for everything under the sun. I believe he is doing the very best that can be done with the GOP Congress that he has to fight with on every issue. People just have blinders on when it comes to Obama..they see & believe whatever Fox news tells them instead of actual facts.

  13. David Huie Green on April 7th, 2012 10:40 am

    REGARDING:
    “Hmm, 1991 we invaded Iraq to save the other Arab states from Saddam Hussein this under King George Bush I.”

    Silly me. I thought we drove the invader out of Kuwait then got while the getting was good. Records recovered at that time indicated he was preparing to invade the other Arabian countries (which may not have been all that bad an idea, but definitely makes him the aggressor) and that he had been within a year of producing a nuclear bomb. He stayed in power by using chemical weapons against the Kurds and anyone else who opposed him and had favored a strong biological warfare research and production effort.

    Of course, he was probably harmless and should have been allowed to continue to the natural results of his efforts. With any luck we wouldn’t have been killed by anything he released.

    David considering rewritten history
    and hopes for luck

  14. molino jim on April 7th, 2012 10:31 am

    While I’m not a big fan of Obama I hope some of the “obama haters” will think about the fact that China and India are moving into the car age. The little putt-putt motor bikes and the regular bikes are becoming a thing of the past and these two countries plus others are putting a heavy demand for gas. It’s easy to blame the Obama administration for all of the problems in this county– but look back at what happen during the administration of “George the other”. Huge tax breaks for the higher income people, lack of control on the banks causing the housing problems and so on. If the banks, auto builders and others had not been bailed out where would we be now. The loans are being paid back with interest (a large number have already been paid back) and slowly the economy is getting better. Have we had a full recovery—-NO. But we avoided a depression that would have been worse than what we have.

  15. grey lady on April 7th, 2012 10:29 am

    The main reason for building the Keystone XL is not to decrease the gasoline prices in the US, but to get the Canadian oil to refineries near the Gulf Coast so the gasoline can be put on the open market and sold and shipped to China and Japan. The Republican controlled Congress has repeatedly refused to drop the $40 Billion dollars the oil companies get in subsidies and the multi-billion dollar tax breaks given to the oil companies. Every Republican Congressman has signed the pledge to Grover Norquist to not raise taxes on any corporation. When we elect our political representatives, they choose to pledge to a group, and a man most have never heard of before they take the oath of office pledging to uphold the Constitution. The consumer has been getting gouged at the pump since the 1970’s and we, as Americans, don’t seem to get it. We choose not to develop and buy more efficient vehicles, develop efficient public transportation, or use alternative fuels. Every president has had to deal with this for more than 40 years.
    I wonder what the outcry would be if the government took over the gasoline supply and nationalized the oil reserves, forbade any export of gasoline, and set a maximum price for petroeum products. I think the oil companies would object rather strenously to this, and most Americans would see this as a strong infringement on the rights of c.orporations. After all, “Corporations are People.”
    The strategic Oil Reserve hould not be tapped. It is there for STRATEGIC purposes. Tapping this, and at the same time,having much of our gasoline production presold on the open market, puts us in a much more vulnerable position if something happens in the Strait of Hormuz, or even a shutdown in refineries in this country.

  16. Friction against the machine on April 7th, 2012 8:53 am

    Hows those European gas prices workin for ya Mr.Obama?

  17. charlie w. on April 7th, 2012 8:22 am

    Gasoline is still under priced. It needs at least another 75 cents per gallon to make wall street and obama happy. As for me, makes my royalty check bigger. So raise it up, up, and away!

  18. Otto on April 7th, 2012 8:06 am

    “I hope everyone that voted for Obama is enjoying the change! Vote for him again and none of us will be able to afford anything. And did he benefit you????”

    Hmm, 1991 we invaded Iraq to save the other Arab states from Saddam Hussein this under King George Bush I.

    2003 we invade Iraq again to liberate the Iraqi people from Saddam Hussein this under King George Bush II. Halliburton Corp, whose former CEO happens to be vice-president Cheney, makes billions off the war. In the meantime over 4000 US soldiers lose their lives. In the meantime the initiative in Afghanistan is lost.

    For people whose “bacon’ we saved, I don’t see the Arab states giving us a break at the pump. Of course the oil companies are making windfall profits and still getting subsidies in the form of tax breaks from the US government.

    No matter if a Democratic or Republican administration, the deck is stacked against the middle and working classes. Both parties do what is in the best interest of the people with the money to throw around.

    It is the middle and working class in this country that has made and still makes this country great!

    OI don’t forget, this country is a gasoline exporter now!!!

  19. psu1earl on April 7th, 2012 7:41 am

    Presumably, no one would call President George W. Bush unfriendly to the oil industry. Yet the price of gasoline rose steadily during most of his administration. In February 2001, just after Mr. Bush took office, the average price of regular gasoline was $1.45 a gallon. By June 2008, that price had risen to $4.05. Still think presidents and oil-friendly policies can determine oil prices? Sure, let them drill more and make huge profits. Bet you still will have high gas prices if their profit sheets aren’t good enough for them.

  20. Kay Campbell on April 7th, 2012 7:10 am

    I hope everyone that voted for Obama is enjoying the change! Vote for him again and none of us will be able to afford anything. And did he benefit you????

  21. Jane on April 7th, 2012 7:07 am

    So people will stop driving as much, use alternate transpertation, car pool. If it hurts the ecoonomy maybe Obama will be out of office…

  22. Susan on April 7th, 2012 5:50 am

    Gas is $3.59 a gallon in Cantonment and Molino.

  23. art on April 7th, 2012 5:39 am

    save your money and do something fun at home. turn off the tv…turn off the video games. start a hobby. play games. dig out the muscial instruments, start a band. have folks over. life doesnt begin and end with going places in the dad gum car for fun. not anymore.