Americans Cut Back On Driving
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Energy, Gas, Money, OilFeeling the pinch at the pump? Starting to rethink your extracurricular driving activities?
Compared with March a year earlier, Americans drove an estimated 4.3 percent less — that’s 11 billion fewer miles, the DOT’s Federal Highway Administration said Monday, calling it “the sharpest yearly drop for any month in FHWA history.” Records have been kept since 1942.According to AAA, for the first time since 2002, Americans said they were planning to drive less over the Memorial Day weekend than they did the year before.
Driving less means spending less which means pulling ourselves from the brink of recession is becoming less and less likely.
And now, more than ever, our country’s public transportation systems are being utilized…
Some Americans have turned to public transportation. Ridership increased by 2.1 percent in 2007, in part because of rising gas prices, according to the American Public Transportation Association.Americans took 10.3 billion trips on public transportation in 2007, the highest level in 50 years, the group said.
My question is how many of these folks will keep up their public transportation habits if gas prices drop? And are higher oil prices really that bad?
The answer is complicated. On one hand higher oil prices force us to consider other means of transportation, and that’s definitely a good thing. But what doesn’t stop are the rising costs of driving all of the things we buy across the country via semi, especially food. And as that gets more expensive, we pay the price.
Now, more than ever, a massive investment in alternative fuel sources is needed. Otherwise inflation will continue to drive up the cost of everything and we won’t be able to avoid feeling the pinch of higher gas prices simply by driving less.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 27th, 2008 and is filed under Energy, Gas, Money, Oil. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 28th, 2008 at 6:11 am
According to our elected “leaders,†high gas prices are all the fault of
Big Oil. So why do we need to invest in alternative energy when nationalizing the oil companies will bring us cheap gas forever?
May 28th, 2008 at 7:51 am
Why are you complaining Justin, this is the only way to stop Global Warming. And its working! Al Gore’s dream is finally coming true. Remember when Tom Freidman said we needed a $1.00 per gallon “green tax” to ween people off driving? Who needs it with prices like this.
Also, remember what Bill Clinton said in January, “We just have to slow down our economy and cut back our greenhouse gas emissions ’cause we have to save the planet for our grandchildren.”
Think of all the grandchildren who will be saved by these high gas prices, Justin!
May 28th, 2008 at 8:15 am
I probably go through just under a quarter-tank of gas a day — anywhere from $7-$10 worth daily. However, that works out to just a tiny fraction of my income. It’s just a cost of doing business as far as I’m concerned. I’m actually glad it’s happening though. Rising prices can’t help but force people to consider more efficient solutions. My next vehicle may very well end up being a hybrid.
May 28th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Free market in effect! You raise gas prices, I don’t buy as much gas and your records profits decline year after year.
The power of the consumer compels them.