Gas prices not expected to deter holiday drivers

Despite near-record high gas prices, more holiday travelers are expected on Georgia roads this year than last. AAA says over 1.1 million Georgians will travel 50 miles or more by car this week as gas prices hover nearly a dollar above what they were in 2006. Garrett Townsend, a spokesman for AAA South, says high gas prices rarely deter families from their holiday traditions. “We certainly have favorable weather with this time of year and a lot of people plan family trips, going down to Florida and visiting the amusement parks there. So, lots of favorable conditions in the Southeast region,” Townsend says. AAA forecasts a two percent increase in the number of Thanksgiving drivers in the Southeast this year -- the greatest increase for any U.S. region. Officials say the heaviest traffic on Georgia’s roadways will be Tuesday through Wednesday and then on Sunday, as people return home.

Columbus driving highest gas prices statewide

Gasoline prices across Georgia have fallen below the $2 a gallon mark. But a new survey finds Columbus has the highest average price in the state.

AAA said prices at the pumps have tumbled more than a dollar in the past month. The statewide average price for regular-grade gas is $1.96 as of Monday morning. The national average is $2.08.

Augusta has the cheapest metro average for regular at $1.92 a gallon. Columbus had the highest average at $2.05, although several stations in the downtown area dropped to $1.99 over the weekend.

One year ago, Georgia motorists were paying $3.03 for regular fuel, on average.

Oil and gas prices are in a downward spiral because of investors' fears that a global economic slowdown will hurt demand for fuel.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of gas prices.

(AP)

The drive towards less driving

Brent Cranfield telecommutes from his home in Marietta, Ga., one day a week, saving 30 or 40 miles on his car once a week. (Stanley Leary, AP)

Brent Cranfield can thank his boss for saving him money at the pump.

With gas prices so high, Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson is letting staffers telecommute one day a week this summer. For Cranfield, who works in the communications office, that means one less trip each week in his Ford Explorer from suburban Marietta to downtown Atlanta and back — saving more than $25 a month on his 16- to 17-mile commute. Cranfield plans to use the savings to help buy a more fuel-efficient car:

"I'm actually waiting for the '09 Camrys to come out so I can try to grab an '08 and get some of that initial sticker price taken off of it."

Some employers are reconsidering the traditional five-days-in-the-office pattern as the national average price for a gallon of gas hovers around $4. The idea is to whittle down commuting costs for workers by allowing them to work from home or switch to four days of 10 hours each.

Then there are more recent gas spike-inspired experimenters — many of them public employers — like at the Georgia Capitol.

"With gas prices exceeding $3.50 a gallon and no end in sight to the increases I want to try and do something to help you with that burden," Richardson wrote in an April staff memo.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation requiring the head of each federal agency to set policies allowing qualified workers to work from home or another convenient location. Giving relief from high gas prices was one factor cited by the sponsor, Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill.

Savings can add up fast. Santa Clara, Calif.-based Sun estimates that its more than 18,000 employees who can choose to work at home or the nearest office avoid buying 135 gallons of gas a year, which at $4 a gallon would save $540 each. Deborah Bryan, a program manager for IBM in Boulder, Colo., who switched to telecommuting in April, said she now spends $88 to fill up her Ford Expedition every third week, instead of weekly.

Millions of American workers cannot telecommute because they build houses, serve food, mow lawns, treat patients or perform other jobs tied to specific locations. Some companies have responded with programs ranging from van-pooling to bike-sharing.

Another alternative is compressing the five-day work week into four, 10-hour days. Condensed work weeks are the most popular program for employers trying to reduce workers' commuting costs, according to a recent survey by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a job placement consulting group.

(The Associated Press)

Georgia lawmakers back Bush on drilling

Georgia lawmakers largely support President Bush's call to lift a long-standing ban on offshore oil drilling, including off the state's coast.

All nine of Georgia's Republican congressmen, including both senators, back the proposal. Three of six Democrats also support it, along with Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue.

The new push for drilling is a response to increasingly urgent complaints from constituents about $4-a-gallon gasoline.

Many experts, including Energy Department forecasters, predict that offshore supplies would amount to a drop in the global bucket and would have little effect on gas prices. But drilling supporters say no one really knows how much oil is out there and that Congress can no longer ignore it.

"People all too often want to say ... 'not in my backyard.' But as a nation in a fuel crisis, we simply cannot afford to take any option off the table," said Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta. "We're not talking about setting up an oil rig on the sandbar where you collect seashells. We're talking about responsible exploration."

President Bush on Monday lifted an executive ban that his father put in place in 1990 that prohibits offshore drilling in most parts of the country. He is pressing Congress to lift a similar legislative ban.

Based on studies done 25 years ago, the Interior Department estimates that 18 billion barrels of recoverable oil likely will be found beneath coastal waters now off limits. The U.S. consumes about 8 billion barrels per year.

In a report last year, the Energy Department forecasting arm said it would take until 2030 before offshore production really got going. Even then, the report said, "because oil prices are determined on the international market ... any impact on average wellhead prices is expected to be insignificant."

Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia, said the benefits are "not worth the risk."

"Every week I advise constituents that there is no easy fix and we will not be returning to the era of cheap gas and oil," he said.

Rep. David Scott, D-Atlanta, said that while he might support limited new coastal drilling — such as what Congress opened recently in the Gulf of Mexico — Republicans are missing the point by focusing on oil.

"We must find substitutes for oil and natural gas so that crises such as this do not occur again," he said.

But Scott and Johnson are in the minority among Georgia lawmakers, along with Rep. John Lewis, D-Atlanta, who has long opposed new drilling.

The rest of the delegation backs offshore development, including Democrats John Barrow of Savannah, Sanford Bishop of Albany and Jim Marshall of Macon.

Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, who have been trying to broker a bipartisan energy compromise recently, said Congress can no longer ignore potential resources. Even if offshore production would play only a bit part in a broad energy portfolio, Isakson said, making it available would influence market forces that are driving up prices.

"Those who speculate on the future prices would understand that the United States has finally had enough," he said on the Senate floor Tuesday.

Supporters also say oil rigs would be so far off the coast that beachgoers wouldn't see them.

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, R-Grantville, said the new production also could become a major revenue source for the state, as it has been in Louisiana and other Gulf states, which get a share of government royalties.

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, said domestic production is "step one."

"It's just like dieting we need to reduce intake and increase output," he said.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis and energy issues.

(The Associated Press)

Speaker's Office allowing employees to telecommute

Brent Cranfield telecommutes from his home in Marietta one day a week saving 30 or 40 miles on his car once a week. Their office uses videoconferencing, instant messaging and other communications technology, which as helped workers stay connected. (Stanley Leary / Associated Press)

Brent Cranfield can thank his boss for saving him money at the pump.

Because gas prices are so high, Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson is letting staffers telecommute one day a week this summer. For Cranfield, who works in the communications office, that means one less trip each week in his Ford Explorer from suburban Marietta to downtown Atlanta and back -- saving more than $25 a month on his 16- to 17-mile commute.

Cranfield plans to use the savings to help buy a more-fuel-efficient car:

"I'm actually waiting for the '09 Camrys to come out so I can try to grab an '08 and get some of that initial sticker price taken off of it."

Some employers are reconsidering the traditional five-days-in-the-office pattern as the national average price for a gallon of gas hovers around $4. The idea is to whittle down commuting costs for workers by allowing them to work from home or switch to four days of 10 hours each.

Telecommuting has gained traction year by year with advances in videoconferencing, instant messaging and other communications technologies. Employers typically adopt it as a way to save money, boost morale and retain workers.

But Chuck Wilsker of The Telework Coalition said it has grown faster since the post-Hurricane Katrina gas price spike of 2005. And he believes prices have climbed so high now that managers who must grant workers permission to telecommute -- are feeling the pinch, too.

"It's affecting people's disposable income," Wilsker said. "And all of the sudden they're saying 'I've got to do something about this!"

The coalition estimates that more than 26 million Americans now telecommute at least some days; that would be about 18 percent of people employed nationwide.

But employers have traditionally been leery of changes that could leave the office empty on Friday, and that is why the Georgia House employees must stagger their tele commuting days. Another fear is that employees will slack off -- either because they're at home or working long stretches.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the issue of soaring gas prices, and its effect on transportation, commerce, and daily life statewide.

(The Associated Press)

Annual tax adjustment means gas prices up

The cost of filling your gas tank has been down in recent weeks from prices that hovered around three dollars and twenty-five cents earlier this year. But, if you fill up today, you'll notice a slight increase as the state tax on gasoline goes from 15 to more than 17 cents a gallon. At his website, State Senator Chip Pearson calls the gas tax the most reliable funding mechanism for our state's transportation system. The current Georgia Motor Fuel Tax was enacted in 2003. House Bill 43 requires the state's gas tax be adjusted twice a year -- in January and July -- to reflect the cost of gasoline. So, the higher the price per gallon, the greater the motor fuel tax. A midterm adjustment is also required if average gasoline prices fluctuate more than 25 percent, as happened recently on June 1, 2007. According to a spokesperson for Triple A, statewide gasoline prices are averaging 12 cents more than a year ago.

Columbus gas prices lead state

Columbus leads the state in the unenviable position of having the highest gas prices across Georgia, according the AAA's fuelgaugereport.

The average price-per-gallon for gas is averaging:

• Unleaded regular: $3.775
• Mid-price: $4.059
• Premium: $4.239
• Diesel: $4.399

Nationwide, the current average prices are:

• Unleaded regular: $3.758
• Mid-price: $3.990
• Premium: $4.134
• Diesel: $4.419

Gas prices surge in Georgia

Gas prices in Georgia surged over the weekend, and again overnight as a direct effect of Hurricane Ike’s path through the Gulf into Texas. The statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded this morning is $4.16--that stands above the national average of $3.84 a gallon. For a time late Friday, prices surged above $5.00 a gallon in some parts of Georgia before falling back in the $4.00 range.

On Friday, Governor Sonny Perdue activated the state’s price-gouging statute to protect Georgia consumers from unlawful and out-of-line price jumps.

A check of AAA South and its gas price report this morning shows Atlanta’s average is among the lowest around Georgia--$4.11 a gallon. Augusta is at the high end of the scale at $4.39 for a gallon of regular unleaded.

State officials investigate gas price gouging

State officials are beginning to investigate complaints of price gouging at numerous gas stations across Georgia. This comes in the wake of Hurricane Ike’s trek through the Gulf and Texas over the weekend.

Through late this morning, the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs says they had received 80 complaints of unreasonable spikes in prices since 7pm Friday. The calls have come in from all parts of the state, and about different companies’ stations.

Early Friday night, the Governor issued an executive order against price gouging. Its aim is to make sure the prices people are paying are in-line with what retailers pay. Over the weekend some drivers around the state saw spikes of over $5.00 a gallon at certain stations, along with some stations running out of gas.

According to the AAA fuel gauge report this morning , the average price in Georgia for a gallon of regular unleaded was $4.16--a rise of 16-cents from Sunday.

The brunt of Hurricane Ike missed the biggest concentration of oil and gas refineries in the Gulf, with damage not as severe as feared. Experts predict gas prices to stabilize this week.

Dire economy led Georgia news in '08

The vast economic crisis has left scores of Georgia's houses empty, its banks shuttered and sent thousands of its residents searching for jobs even as its unemployment rate balloons to heights not seen since Ronald Reagan was president.

The nationwide recession was the top Georgia news story of 2008, according to state editors and news directors voting in The Associated Press' annual survey.

Other stories high on most lists included an energy crisis that sent gas prices on a roller-coaster ride, the U.S. Senate runoff that thwarted Democratic plans for a super-majority in the Senate and the months-long trial of courthouse gunman Brian Nichols.

Yet the economic doldrums was the top choice for seven of 12 Georgia AP members participating in the news cooperative's survey.

Georgia residents began feeling the economic fallout early this year as a growing number of homes remained unsold and credit grew tighter. Firms fired workers, governments furloughed staffers, foreclosures spiked and the state unemployment rate soared to 7.5 percent - the highest in 25 years.

The bleak economy forced regulators to close down five state banks, and led Gov. Sonny Perdue to order spending cuts of at least 6 percent to narrow a deficit that could top $2 billion in 2009.

The new year is unlikely to bring much relief. State economists warn unemployment will climb higher and housing prices will continue to plummet through the first half of 2009.

Volatile energy prices were the No. 2 story of the year. The topsy-turvy fuel market sent the price of crude soaring to as high as $150 a barrel in July before crashing to $33 this month.

The jump in prices, which soared after Hurricanes Gustav and Ike shuttered Gulf Coast refineries, sparked panic among Georgia drivers. Gas stations advertised fuel at $8 a gallon, while some drivers camped out at gas stations to be first in line for new deliveries.

Georgia's seemingly endless U.S. Senate campaign notched the No. 3 spot.

Residents headed to the polls four times to vote on the Senate contest, beginning with the July primaries and ending with a Dec. 2 runoff when Saxby Chambliss was elected to a second Senate term. The Republican's victory over Jim Martin deprived Democrats of a 60-seat filibuster-proof majority.

The conviction and sentencing of Brian Nichols for a deadly shooting spree that began in the Fulton County Courthouse was the year's No. 4 story.

After more than three years and a tangled trail of legal delays, a jury found Nichols guilty of murder. But it deadlocked over whether he deserves the death penalty, forcing a judge to sentence him to life in prison without parole. Now some legislators are intent on changing the state's death penalty rules.

The stubborn drought still squeezing parts of the state emerged as the No. 5 story of the year. While a soggy December helped elevate most of the region from the epic conditions, much of north Georgia - including devastated Lake Lanier - remains in a "severe" drought.

The No. 6 story was the deadly explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in February near Savannah that killed 14 workers and injured dozens more. Investigators determined the blast was caused by sugar dust that ignited like gunpowder in the plant's storage silos.

The presidential election, which dominated national headlines, was voted the No. 7 story in Georgia. Democrat Barack Obama's campaign recruited thousands of volunteers focused on turning the state blue, but Republican John McCain managed to claim Georgia's 15 electoral votes.

The No. 8 story of the year broke just hours after New Year's Day.

Meredith Emerson was abducted while walking with her dog that day in the north Georgia mountains, and police later found her body. Authorities soon arrested Gary Michael Hilton, who is now serving a life sentence after pleading guilty to her murder.

The Delta Air Lines merger with Northwest Airlines took the No. 9 slot, as the combination made the Atlanta-based carrier the world's largest airline. It completed a remarkable turnaround for Delta, which had filed for bankruptcy in 2005.

Clayton County's education woes was the year's tenth-ranked story. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools revoked the county's accreditation after it failed to meet a range of recommendations. More than 3,200 students have since bolted.

Stories close to making the list included convicted murderer Troy Davis' efforts to get a new trial and avoid execution, a legislative session that again ended in gridlock and an explosion at a Dalton law firm that killed the person responsible and injured four others.

(AP)

Ga. cyclists beat gas prices with 42-mile commute

Barry Lord is reluctant to admit it, but there are mornings when he can't stand the thought of riding his bike to work -- those mornings when the thermometer is pushing 100 degrees, when his 45-year-old legs are aching and his car is beckoning.

Still, he stands outside his north Georgia home most weekday mornings, bracing for his commute: A 42-mile round trip across winding rural roads, past farms and stores, through remote stretches and busy intersections.

For Lord, who has a perfectly functioning car sitting unused in his driveway, and his friend Michael Elliott, who rides with him most mornings, hopping on a bike instead has them burning calories instead of fuel.

"We enjoy riding," says Elliott. "And we enjoy the opportunity not to put gas in your tank."

The two figure riding a few days a week helps them each save $20 to $30 a week. More than that, though, they appreciate the intangibles of their rigorous schlep to the office each morning across north Georgia -- like the built-in workout and the feeling of accomplishment after every ride.

Their trips evolved slowly, starting with a 14-mile exercise loop during lunch breaks. Lord first scouted the route last summer, and the two began riding months before gas prices rose to $4 a gallon.

At work, they've gotten their share of shrugs and bemused looks, but they've offered others a dose of inspiration. One co-worker has enthusiastically followed their lead, buying a bike and starting to ride on her own.

Each morning the commute begins with a certain calming ritual around 7:30 a.m. The two grab a bite to eat, don bicycle pants and sleek helmets, fill plastic bottles with water or sports drinks and top off lean rubber tires with air.

Their ride starts out on flat, lonely country roads. This early, there are few cars in this neck of the woods, and motorists either quickly pass the cyclists or drive patiently behind them.

As they pedal down roads lined with grazing cows, the stench can get overbearing. Elliott, lunging forward amid a particularly painful stretch of chicken coops, makes a bonus out of the stink.

"It keeps you motivated," he says.

The high point of the ride -- really, the low one -- is a dip in the road as they speed across a bridge spanning the Chattahoochee River.

From there the route becomes more difficult -- and more crowded. They converge on busier roads and a long line of cars gathers behind, some drivers flashing their brights and honking horns. When the narrow road opens into a passing lane, the cars zoom by, with one driver flashing the pair a nasty gesture.

They hit the home stretch and coast into Ethicon, a medical device company with an office in Cornelia, Ga. They leave a car there just in case the weather turns rough or an emergency arises, but today it's become a closet of sorts, where the two store their bikes and clothes.

The exhausting ride is over, and the two are dripping with sweat. They look down at Elliott's electronic counter to see how they did: Their top speed was more than 46 mph and their ride took about an hour.

"Let's face it, we're choosing a route that's as environmentally friendly as can be," Elliott says. "Carpooling is great, but this is as clean as you can get."

But was it worth it? They've still got to shower and change at an office locker room before they both begin their day of work as engineers. And the same tiresome route awaits them for the ride home -- except this time the sun will shine hotter.

"Yeah, it's worth it," says Lord. "If you were looking at someone who was doing it for sheer economics, it won't be. But I enjoy bicycling anyways, so it's a double benefit."

He chuckles.

"Now, it would be a lot more enjoyable if it was only 10 miles. But it isn't."

(The Associated Press)

Click here for more GPB News coverage on gas proces, and the effects on Georgia.

Darien starting 4-day work week over fuel costs

The town of Darien on Georgia’s Atlantic coast is one of the first in the state to go over to a four-day work week, due to rising fuel prices.

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City Manager Brett Cook says the town's 2,400 residents has been hammered with a 48-percent increase in gas prices since 2006:

“Finances are a lot more difficult with the smaller budget, and we’re not a large city by any means, so a small increase in fuel on us would affect us a little bit more than a large city.”

Darien runs a fleet of almost 30 vehicles, including heavy trucks and machinery that run on diesel fuel.

Cook says he hopes the shorter work week will also benefit the city’s employees, many of whom live far from town.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of gas prices and their effect on Georgia.

State Fines 30 Ga. Gas Stations for Price Gouging

More than 30 Georgia gas stations have paid fines to the state office of consumer affairs over alleged price gouging in the wake of gulf coast hurricanes last fall.

Some stations have to pay up to $10,000 in fines to the state, while others must refund money to customers who can prove they bought gas during the price spike.

The list includes a $20,000 fine against nine Tennessee-based Pilot travel center stations.

The stations are among 200 the state is investigating over complaints of unfairly raising gas prices when hurricanes shuttered several gulf coast oil refineries and left several southern states without enough gas.

Under state law, businesses have to prove they were making the same profit with their elevated prices as they were before the governor activated the anti-gouging statute.

(AP)

Gas prices--on the fall

Georgia’s average price for a gallon of gasoline continues to fall, and is quickly catching up with the national average. A gallon of regular unleaded in the state is now $3.24--down 8 cents from yesterday and a drop of 17 cents in two days. According to the AAA fuel gauge report, the national average is now only 8 cents below Georgia’s mark.

The question to Gregg Laskoski of AAA--will drivers hit the roads more given falling prices? He doesn’t think so:

"The conservation that people have been practicing is with us to stay. People know they were burned when we saw those fuel prices as high as they were, and they also know once the springtime comes around we’re going to be looking at much higher gasoline prices".

...That’s because refineries early next year begin production of summer blend fuel, which costs more when it arrives in the market in May.

Laskoski says for now, prices below $3.00 could be seen by Halloween.

Georgia retailers hope for stout Labor Day weekend

As high gas prices continue to hijack consumer-budgets, retailers across the state could be the beneficiary this Labor Day weekend.

AAA South says their surveys show drivers will stay closer to home over the holiday weekend to cut fuel costs. Gas prices have been inching upward over the past couple of days due to concerns over Hurricane Gustav in the Gulf.

However, people staying closer to home may translate instead to money spent at the store. John Heavener is president of the Georgia Retail Association:

"We’re hoping they’ll go to the malls and stores and spend some time there, and do believe they will. So we look for a slight bounce over what we’ve had most of the summer".

Heavener says while retailers across-the-board could do well, deeper-discount stores could hit a bigger jackpot this weekend.

He says the early August sales-tax holiday gave retailers good sales numbers to carry them through mid-September.

Gas Prices Continue Rise In State

Gas prices continue their rise in Georgia, as in the rest of the nation. Georgia’s average for a gallon of regular unleaded this morning stands at $2.18 according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. That price is up 6-cents from a week ago, and a spike of 27-cents in the last month. Georgia’s current average of $2.18 however, is still 13-cents lower than the national mark.

Gas prices continue falling

Perhaps one of the few bright spots for consumers in this economy--gas prices. They’re falling across the nation, and here in Georgia as well. According to the AAA fuel gauge report this morning, the average is $3.32 for a gallon of regular unleaded. It's a drop of 9 cents from only yesterday, and a 54-cent drop from a month ago. The mark of $3.32 is 12-cents higher than AAA’s national average. Around the state, the lowest average is found in the Augusta area--$3.17. The high end for the state in Athens--$3.44.

Gas Prices Spike 22 Cents In A Week

Gas prices in Georgia have spiked an average 22-cents over the past week. The AAA Fuel Gauge Report shows the average mark for a gallon of regular unleaded in the state is $2.12 currently, up from $1.90 a week ago. Georgia’s gallon price is still 10-cents lower than the current national average. But compare the current mark of $2.12 to that of a year ago, when gasoline was an average $3.67 a gallon at the pump in Georgia.

State gas tax goes up two cents

The new month brings bad news for Georgia drivers--record high gas prices at the pump are going up. The state's gas tax jumps 2 cents a gallon today.

This is an automatic adjustment of the motor fuel sales tax that occurs when gasoline prices rise or fall 25-percent from a preset average. The tax hike goes from 15.2 to 17.3 cents a gallon. Another hike in the gas tax is likely on July 1st, when Georgia does its twice-a-year recalculation of the tax. The average price of gasoline is over 3-dollars a gallon.

Perdue may call in feds over gas gouging

The dramatic spike in gas prices from Hurricane Ike has prompted The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) to investigate hundreds of complaints of price gouging at the pump.

Officials have issued subpoenas for sales records of 25 gas stations statewide, and say more are on the way.

Bill Cloud, the director of administration and external affairs at the OCA says they've received over 700 complaints since Governor Sonny Perdue imposed an anti-gouging law last Friday.

But, Perdue says the skyrocketing numbers at the pump weren't only due to decisions by station owners :

"...[they] were the prices that some of the stations were having to pay up the line, and we're trying to investigate where that began and why, and what steps we should take – that probably would be outside of the purview of the State of Georgia, and while I’m a free-market guy, I certainly think it bears investigation by our federal government."

Perdue says Valdosta and Augusta were having the worst problems statewide in getting fuel from refineries knocked out by last week's hurricane.

Perdue and OCA officials, though, say the situation is improving and expect supply to be back to normal next week.

Click here for more GPB News coverage of the gas crisis, and here for more on Hurricane Ike.