Archive for February, 2008
February 29th, 2008
(data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com)
Gasoline: For at least the fifth day in a row, Rockford is on top in Illinois, though we could soon slip behind Chicago or the Quad Cities, which are each a fraction of a cent behind us. We’re at $3.22 a gallon, four cents above the state average. We dropped almost two cents since yesterday, about a cent more than the state as a whole. Quincy dropped four cents since yesterday and seven cents in two days. Champaign now has the lowest prices in the state, at $3.02 a gallon, having dropped 3 cents since yesterday and 10 cents since Monday. The state average is two cents above the national average; Illinois is tied for 12th-highest gas prices in the country.
Diesel: Rockford increased to eighth out of 11 metro areas in the state at $3.69 a gallon, more than six cents below the state average. We gained more than three cents since yesterday, while the state gained more than one cent. Chicago remains the highest at $3.85 a gallon. Bloomington, Danville and Peoria all joined us with three-cent hikes, while the only decreases were by about a cent or less. The state average remains 11 cents higher than the national average; Illinois has the 10th-highest diesel prices in the country.
February 28th, 2008
Edit: (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com)
Gasoline: Rockford remains on top in Illinois at $3.24 a gallon, five cents above the state average. We increased almost one cent since yesterday, as did the state as a whole. No metro area increased or decreased by much more than a cent Woops, missed Champaign, which dropped five cents. The state average remained three cents above the national average; Illinois has the 10th-highest gas prices in the country.
Diesel: Rockford remains ninth out of 11 metro areas in the state at $3.65 a gallon, eight cents below the state average. We gained almost two cents since yesterday, mirroring the state. Chicago remains the highest at $3.83 a gallon. The metro areas with similar prices had the biggest changes: East Saint Louis rose more than eight cents and is close to catching up to us at $3.62 a gallon; Springfield gained four cents to $3.68 a gallon; Peoria gained three cents to $3.68 a gallon. The state average remains 11 cents higher than the national average; Illinois has the ninth-highest diesel prices in the country.
February 27th, 2008
Every day, I monitor gas prices from around the state on AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com. The site uses information from Oil Price Information Service to list gas prices for metro areas around the country (when looking at it, remember the “metro area” caveat: Rockford includes lower-priced areas such as Belvidere; Chicago includes lower-prices areas in the suburbs. So that’s why the metro area averages don’t always match the prices in the heart of the city).
I’m going to try posting a daily look at where Rockford ranks in the state, where Illinois ranks in the country and what the trends are, both in gasoline and in diesel. Over time, as I compile a spreadsheet of these numbers, I hope to be able to look back with better historical context.
On to today’s musings:
Gasoline: Rockford is again tops in Illinois at $3.23 a gallon, five cents above the state average. We dropped two cents since yesterday. The state on average remained level: Bloomington dropped almost four cents, while Springfield increased four cents and Quincy increased almost five cents. The state average is three cents above the national average; Illinois has the 13th-highest gas prices in the country.
Diesel: Rockford is only ninth out of 11 metro areas in the state at $3.64 a gallon, eight cents below the state average. We gained a fraction of a cent since yesterday, mirroring the state. Chicago remains the highest at $3.82 a gallon. The only big changes were in the two lowest metro areas in the state: Quincy jumped almost seven cents while East Saint Louis fell three cents. The state average is 11 cents higher than the national average; Illinois has the ninth-highest diesel prices in the country.
February 13th, 2008
Members of Chicago Rockford International Airport’s MilesAhead loyalty rewards club just got e-mailed an enticing question:
If we were to gain “seasonal, non-stop jet service, with an average fare of approximately $100 each way, which destination is most appealing to you and your friends for “RFD” to possibly gain: Niagara Falls, NY, or Jackson Hole, Wy?
Interesting. Niagara Falls has been spoken of before as a target destination, but Jackson Hole is a new one. It’s a ski resort capital, and pretty popular. I’ll be looking into both these possibilities.
UPDATE: Talked to Executive Director Bob O’Brien, who said an airline is interested in one or both destinations, as well as others. He’s also talking to other airlines. He won’t say much, other than the potential airline is not now serving Jackson Hole (so it’s not SkyWest, Delta, United or American).
FURTHER UPDATE: Can’t get the poll link to work right. Please vote by commenting to this post - choose one, Niagara Falls or Jackson Hole. I’ll report results to the airport officials, and won’t report your names or information.
February 1st, 2008
Well, this is new.
According to AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com the Rockford metro area had the lowest gas prices in the state as of this morning. Our average price for regular unleaded was $2.983 a gallon, while the state average was $3.065. In the past two days, our average price has dropped about 3 cents while the state’s has risen about 2 cents.
Poor Champaign-Urbana has seen its gas prices rise on average 17 cents in those two days.
I don’t know if our lag is going to last: I paid $3.05 for gas today in Rockford (maybe I’m just dumb). But it shows that we’re not *always* at the top end of the state.
