Business

Average price of gas in Mass. rises above $4 per gallon, AAA says

March 7, 2022

DRIVERS ARE SEEKGIN OUT CHEAPER GAS PRICES. IT IS $3.89 A GALLON FOR REGULAR. YOU CAN ALSO SEE, LOOK AT ALL OF THESE CARS, AND EVEN DOWN THE ROAD, THEY ARE LININGP U FOR CHEAPER GAS PRICES AND UNFORTUNATELY, OUR MARKET EXPERT SAYS THERE IS NO END IN SIGHT. >> I JUST THINK THE GAS PRESIC ARE OUTRAGEOUS. PETER: STICKER SHOCK, HITTGIN CONSUMERS. HUNDREDS LINING UP THROUGH THE DAY AT BJS IN STTOOUGHN TO GET GAS FOR $3.89 A GALLON FOR MEMBERS. >> YOU’VE GOT TO SAVE EVERY PENNY YOU CAN. YOU’RE WAITING IN TRAFFIC TO SPEND MONEY SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL WAITING IN LINE TO SAVE MONEY. PETER: GAS PRICES BOER HTHE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON THE RISE. AND THAT HAS SOME WHO RE ONLY DRIVING TO MAKE A LIVING, TO CONSIDER MAKING A JOB CHANGE. JOHNNY VIEIRA SHS OWME HOW HIS GAS EXPENSES MORE THAN DOUBLED OVER THE PAST YEAR MAKING DELIVERIES FOR BRICK FIRE PIZZA IN NEWTON. COMING OUT OHIS F BOTTOM LINE. HE ALREADY DOWNGRADED TO A 4-CYLINDER CARM RO FA V6 TO SAVE MONEY. >> IF IT KEEPS GOING UP THE WAY IT IS, IT’S GOING TO GET TO A POINT WHERE IT IS NOT WORTH IT. JUST GOING TO HAVE TDOO SOMETHING ELSE. >> UNFORTUNATELY THE WAY THISNG ARE LOOKING, IT APPEARS WE’RE GOING TO BE IN THIS MODE OF INCREASED PRICES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. PETER: EXPERTS SAY THERE ISN’T A GAS SHORTAGE, BUT THE MOST LIKELY WAY PRICES WOULD COME DOWN, IS IF THE SITUATION IN UKRAINE IMPROVES. >> THE UNITED STATES ONLY CONSUMES ABOUT 3% OF RUSSIAN OIL, BUT AGAIN IT IS A GLOBAL COMMODITY. WHEN THE WORLD IS REACTING, WE DEFINITELY FEEL IT HERE AT HOME AS WELL. PER:TE RIGHT NOW, CRUDE OIL IS ARND $OU120 A BARREL. THAT IS A SHARP CONTRAST TO APLRI OF 2020 WHEN IT WAS LESS THAN ZERO DOLLARS A BAR

Average price of gas in Massachusetts sets new record high, according to AAA

Prices climb to average of $4.16 per gallon

The average price of regular gasoline in Massachusetts rose $0.54 in one week, rocketing above $4 per gallon for the first time since the Great Recession, according to AAA.AAA said the average price for gas in the Bay State rose from $3.959 per gallon for regular unleaded on Saturday to $4.079 per gallon on Sunday and rose again to $4.16 per gallon on Monday. That’s a new record high, beating the previous high of $4.092 per gallon, which was set July 8, 2008.NewsCenter 5 found prices for regular gasoline as high as $4.29 per gallon at some stations on both Saturday and Sunday.The rise in gasoline prices is attributed to the instability in Ukraine caused by the ongoing Russian invasion.”The extraordinary volatility in global oil markets stems from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the question of whether the United States and NATO will impose sanctions on the Russian oil and gas industry. As that issue continues to be debated today, the market will see significant upward pressure on petroleum-related commodities,” said AAA spokesperson Mary Maguire. The average price for regular gas in Massachusetts was $3.62 per gallon last week, $3.44 per gallon last month and $2.68 per gallon last year.As of Sunday, it costs $61.19 on average to fill a 15-gallon tank with regular unleaded gasoline. Just last month, the cost to fill that 15-gallon gas tank was nearly $10 less at $51.62 on average. A year ago, the cost was more than $20 less at $40.20 on average. AAA said the national average price for regular gasoline rose from $3.992 per gallon on Saturday to $4.009 per gallon on Sunday and $4.065 on Monday. The highest national average price for regular unleaded gas was recorded on July 17, 2008, at $4.114 per gallon.Fuel-saving tips from AAA: Tires & maintenance – Keep your vehicle in top shape with routine inspections and in between, make sure your tires are properly inflated. Plan ahead – Map your route before you go to minimize unnecessary turnarounds and backtracking. Avoid peak traffic times. Combine errands and go to “one-stop shops” where you can do multiple tasks (banking, shopping, etc.). Watch your speed – Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%.Avoid excessive idling – A car engine consumes one quarter to one-half gallon of fuel per hour when idling, but a warm engine only takes around 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart.Where safe to do so, shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute.Use “fast pass” or “express” toll lanes – Avoiding unnecessary stops or slowdowns on the highway helps save fuel.Avoid rush hour – Take advantage of flex work hours to avoid commuting during peak traffic times.Anticipate road conditions – Watch the traffic ahead and “time” stoplights to maintain momentum and avoid unnecessary stop and go. Regular vs. Premium – If regular gas is recommended for your vehicle, that’s all you need. premium when your car doesn’t require it will only cost you money and doesn’t improve fuel economy.Shop around & save – Find the best gas price in your area

BOSTON—

The average price of regular gasoline in Massachusetts rose $0.54 in one week, rocketing above $4 per gallon for the first time since the Great Recession, according to AAA.

AAA said the average price for gas in the Bay State rose from $3.959 per gallon for regular unleaded on Saturday to $4.079 per gallon on Sunday and rose again to $4.16 per gallon on Monday. That’s a new record high, beating the previous high of $4,092 per gallon, which was set July 8, 2008.

NewsCenter 5 found prices for regular gasoline as high as $4.29 per gallon at some stations on both Saturday and Sunday.

The rise in gasoline prices is attributed to the instability in Ukraine caused by the ongoing Russian invasion.

“The extraordinary volatility in global oil markets stems from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the question of whether the United States and NATO will impose sanctions on the Russian oil and gas industry. As that issue continues to be debated today, the market will see significant upward pressure on petroleum-related commodities,” said AAA spokesperson Mary Maguire.

The average price for regular gas in Massachusetts was $3.62 per gallon last week, $3.44 per gallon last month and $2.68 per gallon last year.

As of Sunday, it costs $61.19 on average to fill a 15-gallon tank with regular unleaded gasoline. Just last month, the cost to fill that 15-gallon gas tank was nearly $10 less at $51.62 on average. A year ago, the cost was more than $20 less at $40.20 on average.

AAA said the national average price for regular gasoline rose from $3.992 per gallon on Saturday to $4.009 per gallon on Sunday and $4.065 on Monday. The highest national average price for regular unleaded gas was recorded on July 17, 2008, at $4.114 per gallon.

Fuel-saving tips from AAA:

Tires & maintenance – Keep your vehicle in top shape with routine inspections and in between, make sure your tires are properly inflated.
Plan ahead – Map your route before you go to minimize unnecessary turnarounds and backtracking. Avoid peak traffic times. Combine errands and go to “one-stop shops” where you can do multiple tasks (banking, shopping, etc.).
watch your speed – Fuel economy peaks at around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speeds increase. Reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%.
Avoid excessive idling – A car engine consumes one quarter to one-half gallon of fuel per hour when idling, but a warm engine only takes around 10 seconds worth of fuel to restart. Where safe to do so, shut off your engine if you will be stopped for more than a minute.
Use “fast pass” or “express” toll lanes – Avoiding unnecessary stops or slowdowns on the highway helps save fuel.
Avoid rush hour – Take advantage of flex work hours to avoid commuting during peak traffic times.
Anticipate road conditions – Watch the traffic ahead and “time” stoplights to maintain momentum and avoid unnecessary stop and go.
Regular vs. Premium – If regular gas is recommended for your vehicle, that’s all you need. Opting for premium when your car doesn’t require it will only cost you money and doesn’t improve fuel economy.
Shop around & save – Find the best gas price in your area