Gas Prices

An informal survey by APTA says that cities across the U.S., cities are experiences surging transit use in all modes. Transit agencies are expanding every way they can, but face budget shortfalls.

The increase in the price of fuel encourages one St. Louis family to purchase a second home near work.

Southern Californians, facing some of the worst gas prices in the country, are experimenting with taking public transit, as these personal stories from the Los Angeles Times attest.

Joel Kotkin once again leaps to the defense of the suburbs as a choice, and says that urbanists who are hoping that Americans will rush back into the cities are sadly mistaken.

City officials in Lockhart, near Austin, consider allowing golf carts on arterial streets.

Despite efforts by politicians to enact policies that reduce congestion, the biggest improvements in traffic reduction appear to be tied to rising gas prices and tolls, according to data from New York.

Forbes works with the Center for Neighborhood Technology to find the best neighborhoods to get around affordably.

Employers in the Seattle area are outpacing City Hall in providing incentives to employees not to drive to work in single occupancy cars. A state law even requires companies with 100 or more commuters to provide alternative commuting plans.

A new report for a Canadian bank examining the economic impact of rising oil prices predicts that millions of Americans will be forced to give up driving as gas reaches $7.00 a gallon.

The article suggests that rising gas prices, enduring subprime mortgage crisis, and some changing demographics (i.e., the aging of Baby Boomers) are all contributing to the greater popularity of central city neighborhoods.

Joe White, who reports on the auto industry in Detroit, steps out his car and reflects on the city's mixed history of transit. To get the full picture, he tries to ride the bus himself.

Chrysler's "Let's Refuel America" campaign promises to subsidize your gas as if you were paying $2.99 a gallon if you buy one of their large vehicles. Cartoonist Ruben Bolling spoofs the thinking behind the program in this cartoon.

Today is "Dump the Pump" Day, an annual event created by the American Public Transportation Association to bring awareness to the benefits of public transit. Transit agencies across the country are offering free rides, including many in Florida.

Transit use is surging, but operators are facing the same fuel crunch as consumers and public monies for new investments aren't up to addressing the new demand.

Oklahoma City residents used to 70-mile commutes are turning to carpooling as gas hovers at $4 a gallon. But with the largest land area of any U.S. city, providing public transit remains a major challenge.

Gas-guzzling SUVs no longer rule the U.S. auto market.

Gas prices have just surpassed the $4 mark, but the impact is far from uniform throughout the nation- poor, rural counties, particularly in the south and west, suffer disproportionately.

The California Air Resources board is expected to approve a new propane-fueled engine this week, opening the door for an alternative fuel source for cars and trucks. Supporters say its also convenient because distribution channels already exist.

NPR reports on 'hypermilers', drivers who practice active gas-saving techniques like braking lightly and combining trips. One hypermiler says he isn't doing it to be green: 'The environment I'm concerned with is my wallet.'

Even as SUV sales have dropped 33% this year, some drivers hang on to their gas-guzzlers. "You've got to have that room when you're moving around," says a Georgia man. The cost of switching is another major factor for families.