I have always been confused by the price of gas vs the price of oil per barrel. I found this link a while back, and wondered why the price of gas never followed the price of oil...
Also, if you ever wondered what the tax was per state, here ya go. I kind of find it interesting, but then again I'm kinda weird too...
Taxes on gasoline and diesel for transportation
by U.S. state in U.S. cents per gallon as of July 2013
StateGasoline tax (includes federal tax of 18.4¢/gal) Diesel tax (includes federal tax of 24.4¢/gal) US (Volume-Weighted) Average49.554.8
Alabama 39.3 46.3
Alaska 26.4 32.4
Arizona 37.4 51.4
Arkansas 40.2 47.2
California 71.9 74.9
Colorado 40.4 44.9
Connecticut 67.7 79.3
Delaware 41.4 46.4
District of Columbia 41.9 47.9
Florida 53.8 54.9
Georgia 46.9 56.4
Hawaii 69.0 77.0
Idaho 43.4 49.4
Illinois 57.5 68.9
Indiana 57.3 74.2
Iowa 40.4 47.9
Kansas 43.4 51.4
Kentucky 50.7 53.7
Louisiana 38.4 44.4
Maine 49.9 57.1
Maryland 48.9 55.7
Massachusetts 41.9 47.9
Michigan 57.9 63.1
Minnesota 47.0 53.0
Mississippi 37.2 43.2
Missouri 35.7 41.7
Montana 46.2 53.0
Nebraska 45.6 51.0
Nevada 51.5 53.0
New Hampshire 38.0 44.0
New Jersey 32.9 41.9
New Mexico 37.3 47.2
New York 68.2 74.0
North Carolina 56.3 62.3
North Dakota 41.4 47.4
Ohio 46.4 52.4
Oklahoma 35.4 38.4
Oregon 49.5 54.7
Pennsylvania 50.7 63.6
Rhode Island 51.4 57.4
South Carolina 35.2 41.2
South Dakota 40.4 48.4
Tennessee 39.8 42.8
Texas 38.4 44.4
Utah 42.9 48.9
Vermont 50.6 55.4
Virginia 35.7 50.5
Washington 55.9 61.9
West Virginia 53.1 59.1
Wisconsin 51.3 57.3
Wyoming 42.4 48.4
$3.19 in Corvallis... but that isn't a surprise. Everything in Benton County is more expensive than it is in the outside world.
I heard an interesting explanation from someone from the gas biz as to why the cost of fuel varies from station to station, city to city and state to state.
You have heard the term "whatever the market will bare". That's the matrix they use when determining the price of fuel at gas stations. If you live in an area where the oil companies believe they can charge more because of the average income of that area... they charge more.
This is certainly true for Corvallis. The most expensive gas station in town just happens to be located in the part of town where the most affluent are most likely to buy their gas.
Albany is only 11 miles away but located in a different county. The price of fuel in Albany is always below what it is in Corvallis.
Of course I'm old enough to remember when gas was 30 cents per gallon so anything above a buck a gallon is still expensive to me. When I lived in La Grande, I could drive to and from Pendleton on a bucks worth of gas... and you need to drive over a mountain to get to and from Pendleton from La Grande.
You'll hear all sorts of BS as to why the price of gas has dropped. No matter what crap the oil companies come up with for excuses, it comes down to supply and demand.
The same thing happened in the 70s when the price of fuel went up and then dropped.
When people sell their gas-guzzlers and buy econo-boxes, the price of fuel goes down. That's exactly what happened in the 70s. The same has happened now. The vehicles that use little or no gas has hit the industry so they've reduced the price.
During the 70s, when the price of fuel went down and stayed fairly low, slowly but surely people started selling their cheap-o econo boxes and went back to buying V-8s.
Then, surprise surprise, the price of fuel slowly started going back up. This time, I don't think that will happen.
The youth of today are not into muscle cars. In fact, they're not into vehicles the same as were the baby boomers. This has worried the Big 3 auto makers in the US. That is why they are very interested in selling their vehicles to China where there is a boom in auto purchases. They project that auto sales in the US will continue to slide downward because the upcoming generations are more than happy to us alternative forms of transportation.
Hell, we even had to sell our gas guzzler T-Bird with the V-8 and buy a Escape that gets twice to three times the MPG as did the T-Bird. I know the oil companies are making very little from us compared to what they made last year. When you multiple this across the board of those who own autos in the US, this does have an effect on the price of fuel... same as it did in the 70s.
Add into the mix that the U.S. now produces more oil than it imports, a huge change from only a few years ago (see http://www.ineffableisland.com/2012/12/269-per-barrel-of-oil-seen-by-eia-new.html). Fracking has rejuvenated production at some fields that had been declining. Using U.S.-produced oil for refineries reduces their transport costs; they can make the same or perhaps larger profit and still reduce price.
These are very interesting articles on the future of alternative fuels. One would think, as I have read recently, that within the next 5 years or its expected that there will be a great technological leap in batter power storage and efficiency that will allow electric powered vehicles to travel 500+ miles on one charge. And what about other alternative fuels such as cellulosic produced diesel (I like algal-based), or even compressed natural gas?
These are very interesting articles on the future of alternative fuels. One would think, as I have read recently, that within the next 5 years or its expected that there will be a great technological leap in batter power storage and efficiency that will allow electric powered vehicles to travel 500+ miles on one charge. And what about other alternative fuels such as cellulosic produced diesel (I like algal-based), or even compressed natural gas?
Well, until they can make a rig powerful enough to pull my trailer up two passes in one trip at 70 mph.... I'm out.
Besides, think of this scenario : 99,999 out of 10,0000 people driving battery cars, and I get the 1 dude that's txting, as he flies through a red light driving a Suburban...
I buy at the station run by the Shoalwater Tribe 10 miles to the south of me, in Tokeland. Its $0.30 per gal cheaper there than at any of the local "off rez" stations. Filled up there with Supreme for $3.39 the other day (with cash discount of $0.10/gal).
Until diesel starts following the trend, I'm going to start charging for pulling X-boxes out of the ditches, running neighbors stuff to the dump, and Sally or Joey's bed to college dorms .
My cheapest gas was 11.9 cents a gallon. The stations used to have gas wars to see who could draw in the most customers. But this was in the 50's. I got out of the Service in 1956. Got a job at the Lazy "B". Bought myself a car, a 1951 Pontiac with an inline 6, Flushamatic tranny and about 12 MPG. You didn't worry about the price of gas back then. You just pulled up to the pump and said "Filler up". I made $ 1.60 cents an hour at Boeing. Second shift added 12 cents to your hourly pay. I had more money that I knew what to do with.
It sure isn't that way now. Bring back the good old days.
You want to 'pay up' come to Southern Oregon! Reason same is all the fuel has to come out of Corvallis (or Eugene?) and trucked 150'sh miles ... then the truck has to drive back empty. There is no free lunch.
John D Rockefeller invented the rail tanker car back in the days of the oil & railroad barons. (one hellofa long time ago) CSX (railroad company) commercials claim they can move five tons of freight (1647gal/gasoline) one mile on one gallon of fuel. The interstate highway system spawned the era of long haul truckers. This is nonsense! You cannot convince me that there are not more economical ways of transporting product to market than long haul trucks.
Here's the problem with electric cars. Even if they can improve the range to 500 miles between charges, you still need to stop for a charge and that takes a lot of time. Unless they can reduce the charge time down to the same amount it takes to fill up a gas tank, electric cars will not be practical for your primary form of transportation.
If you use the vehicle just to roam around a large city, they are very practical. But if I planned to drive to YNP in an electric car, it would take me a long time due to the length of time it takes to charge the battery when it requires a recharge.
Electric vehicles make sense if you live in the East and make short trips. But we out here in the West tend to drive long distances so finding a charging station and waiting for the vehicle to recharge is problematic.
Sitting here on the couch watching tv, I am producing lots of gas and it's all free.
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