How to spend less at the gas pump

Attorney General Rob McKenna today released the final results from the state’s year-long investigation into gas prices. Price variations across Washington communities are due to the cost of obtaining and transporting fuel to stations and local competition – not illegal price manipulation, the study shows. Increasing worldwide demand for oil and an inability for regional refineries to meet local supply demands are the primary contributors to erratically climbing prices, experts added.

“West Coast refineries are running at capacity,” McKenna said. “We’re importing higher-priced refined gasoline to meet consumer demand, which raises average prices at the pump. Any glitches in the supply system can cause significant price spikes. Meanwhile, crude oil costs nearly four times as much as it did five years ago.”

Results from the investigation are included in a 67-page report available here.

You can spend less at the pump by:

• Driving more efficiently and reducing excess weight. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.20 per gallon for gas. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent.
• Maintaining your car. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure.
• Choosing a more fuel-efficient vehicle. The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $808 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $3.23). That's $4,038 extra in fuel costs over five years.
• And, of course, combining trips, carpooling or taking the bus can save bucks and cut down on time spent sitting in traffic.