fuel cost

[oilguy]

Just went over the "C" note boundary on the diesel PU fill today.

Thought some cooperation with local pricing around the state by FM'ers might be in order to save a little change down the road. If my screen name means anything, take my word, it's gonna get quite a bit worse. BTW, today 100LL at the local FBO was 10 cents less than diesel around here.

[youngie22]

yes I dread everytime I HAVE to turn the key lately, double check that I really need to go there and do that... last time at station 36.4 gallons X $3.879 per gallon =$141.20 Boy let me tell you how much fun that was!

[john.wells]

This has become a dire situation. All of the trickle down effects have become a flood, with food costs rising, housing market tanked, stagnant or falling wages, etc... Not good. Wall Street needs to pay more attention to mainstreet, as it won't be long and the markets will tank as a result of all of their greed and speculation!

[Kidd]

As soon as I shed a little more of this winter weight I'll be riding my bicycle into work. I'm up to about 10 miles before I die and as soon as I reach the 20 mile mark it's good by to gas stations, well as least it's not seeing them as often.

[Sandmannd]

Just topped the truck off today, fourteen gallons and 50 bills. That really hurt. I think I might have to get one of those little scooters so a gallon will last me a week. Hard to pull the boat with it though.

[jltimm]

With the high gas prices, it makes you wonder why almost everyone driving around during rushhour in the cities has only one person per vehicle?

[rockman]

Why? Because nobody else at my workplace lives by me.My work hours per day, can and do fluctuate from one day to the next, so car pooling with others outside my workplace is very difficult,if not impossible.The Northstar Commuter bus is on my mind,however.I hope they( the politicians) get the funding deal done, so the Northstar Commuter train project gets going.

[youngie22]

unfortunately they think their big public transportation idea will solve all. Not sure how that will help all you guys up north and not in the major metro area. Still don't have a bus or a train or light rail going to st paul everyday from Hastings. They did in the '30s, but not any more.

[The_Lee]

Ahhhh.... I am dreading coming home. I can't wait too, but after the first few drives to go fishing I am gonna be hurting.

I left for Iraq in May 04 and fuel was $1.30 GAL. I got home in April 06 and fuel was $2.60 GAL. I leave to come here to Kosovo in July 07 and fuel was $2.90, now I come home in July 08 and fuel is supposed to hit $4. I am hating this....

[john.wells]

Crazy, ain't it? Give it a little time, it should crash. The speculators are making the price rise artificially. I just looked at the price of crude this morning, and it is going for 116 bucks a barrel! Hindsight being 20/20, I should have invested a couple years ago, I would be rich right now, FOR now. A new Black Friday is coming....

[rockman]

I can't say I disagree with the idea that they think it will solve it all,but at least the options I posted about are nearby,and accessible to me.The Northstar bus stops about a mile away from me,and the train is supposed to stop in Elk River, if they ever get it in place. Those transit options can possibly help me out.The question needs to be asked to the politicians why those same options can't be put in place in other areas of the metro,or just outside the metro.4.00 a gallon for gas is just crazy.I am not looking for the panacea from public transit, just a bit of relief in the wallet.

[john.wells]

The cost of rail line is astronomical, and thus the stalemate. One thing positive for me right now is I am laid up with a broken ankle, so I haven't spent a dime on fuel in a month. With my short term disability check (I am super glad I have it-if you have the option to buy coverage, DO IT.) my bank account is better off than if I was working right now!

[Matt C]

[john.wells]

That's funny, but I have a feeling your post won't make it for all too long

[upnorth]

 Quote:

unfortunately they think their big public transportation idea will solve all. Not sure how that will help all you guys up north and not in the major metro area. Still don't have a bus or a train or light rail going to st paul everyday from Hastings. They did in the '30s, but not any more.

We don't even have bus service up here on the Range

Car pooling doesn't work so well anymore, at least not when you have fluctuating schedules like mine. There are days I have to go in early and days when I have to stay late and many are without any notice.

I just hate seeing where this is going. You can bet everything that is shipped anywhere is going to go up in cost. What was it like in 2005 diesel was well under the $2 gal mark and now it is over $4 per gal, you don't think that any business is going to or can eat those kinds of rising costs in shipping do you? And as our discretionary income shrinks because of what we pay for fuel, we will be spending less at stores on things that are not necessities so there goes the economy, well except for the folks raking in the $$ in oil

[Sandmannd]

I'm lucky to where my wife and I work in the same office. We use the car for going to and from work. Unless one of us has to work at another campus it's just one vehicle. I only use my truck for hauling the boat, ice fishing, hunting and if there is heavy snow. Still hurts to put 40/50 bucks to fill a car.

[tacklejunkie]

 Originally Posted By: upnorth

We don't even have bus service up here on the Range

Sniff. Sniff. Do you smell that? thats the scent of business opportunity

[BobT]

You bring up a good point, upnorth, about the flexible schedules. Perhaps as time goes on, we employees need to start thinking about putting pressure on the business community (our employers) to streamline their schedules a little better so we can accommodate car pooling. It may come down to being necessary if they want to stay in business. They can't run a business if they don't have a workforce. With the cost of fuel going where it is, we employees might be faced with choosing between working for nothing or not working at all.

One thing we can do is change our work schedule to a for a four day work week so we can cut our fuel consumption by 20%. The concern of course is having 5 day coverage for our customers and I appreciate that. I believe that with a little planning we could alternate our shifts in such a way to satisfy both.

Bob

[john.wells]

I work a 4 day schedule, and it sure is nice on the fuel cost.

[upnorth]

I was on sick leave for 7 weeks I figured it saved me at least $420. That is a sad thought.

[Windy City Walleye Hunter]

I think the answer lies in the frozen tundra of Anwar (sp) I heard that among the 40 million acres that experience very little tourist trade and stays dark for up to 23 hours a day for days on end the "footprint" needed to drill and extend oil lines would only be 2,000 acres. Not a bad trade off considering experts say that the oil we could generate ourselves would permanently eliminate every drop of oil we export from Saudi Arabia.

I think more pressure has to be put on the liberal tree huggers in Washington. We need to get that pipeline built, up and running! Next up is the creation and expansion of refineries in the US.

Just my .02 worth!

Windy

[upnorth]

 Originally Posted By: Windy City Walleye Hunter

I think the answer lies in the frozen tundra of Anwar (sp) I heard that among the 40 million acres that experience very little tourist trade and stays dark for up to 23 hours a day for days on end the "footprint" needed to drill and extend oil lines would only be 2,000 acres. Not a bad trade off considering experts say that the oil we could generate ourselves would permanently eliminate every drop of oil we export from Saudi Arabia.

I think more pressure has to be put on the liberal tree huggers in Washington. We need to get that pipeline built, up and running! Next up is the creation and expansion of refineries in the US.

Just my .02 worth!

Windy

I am not convinced that would cause a drop in the price of fuel. I may make it more available to the oil companies, but since they have no competition there is no incentive to lower prices.

[BoxMN]

Not to get off track here, but isn't the real reason for the high cost right now not that actual supply or demand, but the "betting" on the future price of it? I am not a financial or investment expert (by a long shot) but can any of you finance/investing guys explain it? The price is essentially being artifically inflated, from what I read. Even something as simple as what the Fed does with next weeks meeting, cutting or leaving the short tern rate, has a ton to do with it.

[BobT]

I am not fully sure of how commodity trading works but I am not convinced that the oil companies themselves are setting the price.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the reason the oil price is so high because of world-wide trading? We are not the only customers of the oil companies and many countries are bidding for the oil on the commodities market. We bid $X and then China comes along and bids $Y and India then bids even higher and we counter theirs and so on until the whistle blows and trading closes. The oil companies are just the ones that reap the benefits of the trading frenzy and in a way this is how supply and demand are in control. I believe the consumption in the United States as a whole has actually remained relatively flat for the last couple decades while world-wide demand has been increasing rapidly due primarily to China and India undergoing and industrial revolution. As a result they have joined the rest of the world on the bidding table.

Bob

[setterguy]

My wife and I live in Forest Lake, she works downtown. She just started taking the bus and we figure between parking and fuel we are saving almost 350 a month, not to mention the drastically reduced miles on her car. I always just try and make sure I NEED to go somewhere, keep the tires inflated, air filter clean and hope for the best.

[fishorgolf]

Upnorth,

How can you say the oil companies have no competition. Exon/mobile, shell etc. etc etc. etc. Not just this country but the world. BobT is exactly correct, oil is a commodity that is bid for on the world market. I always get a kick out these black

Helicopter conspiracy theories