Gasoline prices are straining budgets nationwide
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The East Central office of AAA was having fun with gasoline numbers – and the numbers aren’t fun.
Heading full bore into vacation season, the Pittsburgh office reported travelers are spending $65 more a month for gas than they did last summer. And furthermore, their petrol expenses account for 7 percent of the nation’s annual income, a 1.5 percent increase from summer 2017.
Yet the despite the spikes, AAA pointed out in a national survey it conducted a few months ago, only 33 percent of the respondents said they would vary their travel plans if gas prices hit $3 per gallon. But at $3.50, however, 47 percent said they would change them.
The association also cobbled together a chart of all states, listing the percentage of stations selling gas for $3.01-plus in June 2017 compared with this June. Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio were all at 0 percent a year ago. This year, Ohio remains at 0 percent and West Virginia is up to 1 percent. Pennsylvania is at 66 percent.
A full 100 percent of the stations are above $3.01 in four states: Alaska, California, Hawaii and Washington. Idaho is at 99 percent; Oregon and Utah are at 98; and Nevada is at 97. So don’t head west.