Susan HumesCollege students that commute not only have to worry about affording an education, now they have to worry about affording the gas to get to school.
“I don’t have much money for gas. It’s expensive,” Eric Houck, a sophomore History major said. He drives from Boyertown Pa., which is about a 40 minute commute to Cabrini.
Within the past weeks, gas prices have increased by more than 20 cents per gallon. Prices in Pennsylvania have gone up as much as $2.02 per gallon. Stations surrounding campus sell gas ranging from $1.76 to $1.95, which puts a strain on commuters’ pockets.
According to the New York Times, energy experts give several reasons for the drastic increase in gas prices, “including a July 30 pipeline rupture in Arizona; refinery problems on the East and West Coasts; and the power blackouts in the Northeast and Midwest that caused several refineries to shut temporarily.”
After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, more and more people are traveling by car. Therefore, the demand for gas is increasing, which gives gasoline companies incentive to raise their prices.
It all goes back to the supply and demand theory – demand being the consumer’s need of a certain product or service, and supply being the manufacturer’s output of a certain product or service.
“In the summer months the production of gasoline, is at its highest because of the large levels of American travel. After the month of August most gasoline companies begin to convert their natural gas into home-heating oil thus slowing down the production of gasoline,” Joseph Mackie, sophomore business major, said.
Gas consumers looking for lower gas rates should go to www.gasbuddy.com/ for updated information on the high and low gas prices in your area.
Posted to the Web by:Toccara Buckley
