Good morning fuel aficionados! We’re here with our daily update of just how deeply our short-sighted, car-centric commuter culture is screwing you. The good news is, slightly less! The bad news: We’ve been at this for over a month now with no signs of prices dropping to pre-Ukrainian invasion levels.
The national price of unleaded fuel this morning is $4.25; that’s a fantastic drop of three cents over last Friday’s price of $4.27. Cold comfort I suppose, considering gas was in the $2.50-ish range back in mid February, but it’s still at least trending in the right direction.
If you think high prices will change the way Americans drive and purchase vehicles, think again. Prices tend to change short-term habits, but a similar spike in gas prices in 2008 proved those sentiments are so extremely temporary. Since then, we’ve seen almost all of the small, fuel-efficient cars blink out of existence from the American market. Depending on how long these high fuel costs last, we might just stick with our pollution-mobiles.
That drop in gas prices isn’t really being felt in places already experiencing the highest gas prices in the nation. A gallon of California regular actually climbed five cents over Monday, but at least citizens in the Golden State will be getting a $400 gas rebate from the state. Maryland sneaks into the top five lowest gas prices, knocking out Nebraska to become the lone New England state with affordable fuel. Oregon is back on the highest list as Alaska slips to sixth place. Let’s take a look:
Here is where you can find the highest average gas prices in the country in order of highest price for a gallon regular:
- California - $5.85 Regular | $6.01 Mid | $6.18 Premium | $6.26 Diesel
- Nevada - $5.11 Regular | $5.33 Mid | $5.53 Premium | $5.21 Diesel
- Hawaii - $5.08 Regular | $5.28 Mid | $5.53 Premium | $5.34 Diesel
- Washington - $4.72 Regular | $4.93 Mid | $5.12 Premium | $5.38 Diesel
- Oregon - $4.70 Regular | $4.90 Mid | $5.10 Premium | $5.33 Diesel
Here is the lowest average price of gasoline in the country in order of lowest price per gallon of regular:
- Kansas - $3.76 Regular | $4.03 Mid | $4.29 Premium | $4.60 Diesel
- Missouri - $3.77 Regular | $4.05 Mid | $4.33 Premium | $4.67 Diesel
- Oklahoma - $3.77 Regular | $4.07 Mid | $4.30 Premium | $4.65 Diesel
- Maryland - $3.81 Regular | $4.33 Mid | $4.58 Premium | $4.69 Diesel
- Arkansas - $3.82 Regular | $4.15 Mid | $4.45 Premium | $4.74 Diesel
As Bloomberg so insultingly put it over the weekend “no one said this would be fun.” The not-fun will continue tomorrow. Until then take it easy, both in life and on that pedal on the right.