Archive for May, 2008
May 16th, 2008
For the third day in a row, stations in Rockford are at $3.95 a gallon. If you see $4 regular unleaded, let me know at 815-987-1343 or tbona@rrstar.comNow on to the prices (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com). All prices are records unless otherwise noted:
Gasoline: Rockford jumped another two cents to almost $3.91 a gallon for the metro area, a smaller increase than most areas of the state. We’re back down to sixth in the state, and more places are north of $3.90 than not. The state average increased two cents to $3.97 a gallon, while the national average rose a penny to $3.79 a gallon. Illinois has the third-highest gas prices in the state, behind only Connecticut and Alaska.
Diesel: Rockford increased another two cents to almost $4.55 a gallon. Every metro areas in Illinois rose today, especially Quincy (up 15 cents to $4.52 … did a few tankers fall into a ravine?). Rockford holds at the second-highest spot in the state. The state average rose two cents to $4.54 a gallon. The national average increased almost three cents to $4.48 a gallon. Illinois has the 16th-highest prices in the country.
May 16th, 2008
A flight attendant, upset about having to work the work the Minneapolis-Regina route, set fire in an airplane bathroom, authorities said, forcing an emergency landing. It landed in Fargo (I guess the Minneapolis-Fargo route is way sexier).
Good thing the pilot hadn’t sent a passenger to sit in the bathroom.
(Thanks to Chris Lehman, former WNIU correspondent who now works for Oregon Public Broadcasting, for the link.)
May 15th, 2008
No reports of $4 gasoline in Rockford yet, but there are still stations at $3.95 a gallon. If you see $4 regular unleaded, let me know at 815-987-1343 or tbona@rrstar.com
Now on to the prices (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):
Gasoline: Rockford jumped another four cents to almost $3.89 a gallon for the metro area, the third-largest increase in the state. We’re up to fifth in the state, but there are two metro areas right behind us. This is gonna frustrate those of you who tell me Rockford gas stations are cheating us: There are plenty of sightings of $3.95 a gallon and more in Peoria, Bloomington and in the Chicago suburbs (including Elgin). For the first time ever, the average price for the Chicago region topped $4 a gallon today. The whole state is high right now (third in the nation), fueled by higher gas taxes than surrounding states (the sales tax, being a percentage, only accelerates the increases as prices rise). The state average increased more than two cents to $3.95 a gallon. The national average increased almost two cents to $3.78 a gallon. All prices referenced are records until further notice
Diesel: Rockford increased almost five cents to $4.52 a gallon. Most other metro areas in Illinois rose today too, but we now have the second-highest diesel prices in the state (behind Chicago at $4.60 a gallon). The state average rose almost four cents to $4.52 a gallon, so it’s just following us along. The national average also increased four cents to $4.46 a gallon. Illinois has the 14th-highest prices in the country. I obviously don’t have as much interesting to say on diesel prices, so any truckers, bus drivers or other experts, feel free to contact me with insights and story ideas into that market. I can be reached, again, at 815-987-1343 or tbona@rrstar.com.
May 14th, 2008
Cuts in the airline industry continue to hit Downstate airports. The latest is Springfield, which is losing its daily United Express flight to Washington D.C. Here’s a key point that resonates with Rockford’s experience with United Express:
United agreed to switch one of five Chicago flights to the Washington route in return for a $1.4 million revenue guarantee. The funds included a $390,000 federal grant, up to $200,000 from a Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce economic development campaign and the remainder from the airport.
The flight will return to the Chicago route in July.
Passenger numbers just never reached a profitable level, and the subsidies became too expensive, airport board chairman Frank Vala said Monday.
“We’re going to be under the whole commitment ($1.4 million), but not by much,” Vala said.
He added that the airport board will think long and hard before offering revenue guarantees to a new carrier.
Before United announced it was exiting RFD, there was a lot of lobbying to get a Washington, D.C. route here. Obviously, United isn’t just cutting back here, but nationwide. Gonna be a tough time for smaller airports.
Vala is quoted as saying SPI has some upstarts looking to come in if they can get revenue guarantees, but the airport is reluctant. It’ll be interesting to see if those are some of the same ones RFD is talking to…
May 14th, 2008
Prices are up to $3.95 a gallon in parts of Rockford. If you see $4 regular unleaded, let me know at 815-987-1343 or tbona@rrstar.com
Now on to the prices (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):
Gasoline: Rockford jumped more than four cents to almost $3.86 a gallon (remember, that’s the metro area, so it includes the stragglers along with the $3.95s). It was the second-largest increase in the state (Quincy jumped almost 11 cents to $3.94 a gallon), though most of the state did go up. We’re still only seventh in the state in gas prices, but I’m not sure how long that will last. The state average increased more than two cents to almost $3.93 a gallon. The national average increased almost three cents to $3.76 a gallon. All prices referenced are records until further notice. Illinois is tied with my home state of New York with the fourth-highest gas prices in the nation.
Diesel: Rockford increased more than two cents to $4.47 a gallon. Most other metro areas in the state rose today too, but we’re now alone with the third-highest diesel prices in the state. The state average rose more than two cents to $4.48 a gallon. The national average increased three cents to $4.42 a gallon. Illinois has the 13th-highest prices in the country.
May 13th, 2008
Here’s an interesting question. Are gasoline prices typically higher on tollway oases and just off interstate exits than in nearby cities and towns? Supposedly they were historically, but not so much now. Have you noticed a change? Let me know here or at tbona@rrstar.com
Now on to the prices (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):
Gasoline: Rockford’s price dropped (for once) by a penny and a half to $3.81 a gallon today. Three other metro areas dropped slightly today, but less than we did, sending us down to eighth in the state. (Think we have it bad? Chicago is up to $3.97, East St. Louis is at $3.90 and Springfield is at $3.88.) The record state average increased about a cent to $3.90 a gallon. The record national average increased more than a cent to $3.73 a gallon. Illinois has the fifth-highest gas prices in the nation.
Diesel: No good news here. Rockford increased five cents, moving its record to $4.45 a gallon. Every metro area in the state rose by at least two cents, and three of them rose more than we did. We’re tied with Springfield for the third-highest diesel prices in the state. The record state average rose almost four cents to $4.46 a gallon. The record national average increased three cents to $4.39 a gallon. Illinois has the 13th-highest prices in the country.
May 12th, 2008
A New Yorker sues JetBlue, saying a pilot made him sit in the bathroom for much of a transcontinental flight.
No, this is not from The Onion. I can’t wait to hear JetBlue’s response…
May 12th, 2008
Daily Show correspondent John Oliver figures out the solution to our national fuel crisis - magic
Hey, at least we’re not among the highest in the state (data courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):
Gasoline: Rockford’s record price increased two cents to $3.82 a gallon today. Prices here have risen about 39 cents in the past month. The “good news” is that every other metro area in Illinois has risen at about the same rate and Rockford stands at the fifth-highest in the state. We also remain below the record state average, which increased a cent to $3.89 a gallon, a 40 cent increase from a month ago. The national average increased a cent to $3.72 (yes, also a record), which is 35 cents above where it was last month. Illinois has the fifth-highest gas prices in the nation.
Diesel: Rockford is also at a record here, up three cents to $4.40 a gallon today. The price has gone up 26 cents in the past month. The record state average increased more than two cents to $4.42 a gallon, 24 cents above a month ago.We have the third-highest diesel prices in the state. The record national average increased three cents to $4.36 a gallon, a 27 cent increase in the past month. Illinois has the 16th-highest prices in the country.
May 7th, 2008
Let’s start with a little humorous FAQ about the proposed gas-tax holiday, courtesy of 23/6
Now on to the serious stuff (Data, as always, courtesy of AAA’s fuelgaugereport.com):
Gasoline: Rockford continued its record run, increasing two cents to $3.70 a gallon. Prices here have risen about 35 cents in the past month. Every metro area in Illinois increased other than the Quad Cities, which stood pat. The state average increased almost two cents to a record $3.76 today, a 30 cent hike in the past month. Rockford has the third-highest prices in the state. The national average increased almost a cent to $3.62, half a cent shy of the record set last week. Illinois has the sixth-highest gas prices in the nation.
Diesel: Rockford stayed at $4.31 a gallon today, a cent shy of the record set just over a week ago. The price has gone up nearly 29 cents in the past month. The state average increased almost a cent to $4.32 a gallon, just shy of the record set last week. That price has gone up about 19 cents in the past month. We have the third-highest diesel prices in the state. The national average increased half a cent to $4.24 a gallon, a cent below last week’s record. The national average has gone up almost 24 cents in the past month. Illinois has the 16th-highest prices in the country.
May 6th, 2008
Sorry to be gone for so long. I’m been swamped by stories about high fuel prices, commuter rail updates and airport news. A fun time, all around. I’ll restart my “fuel price musings” tomorrow.
Here are some quick hits until then:
