A BIG JUMP
Rising prices hurt but have little impact on driving habits
Rising gas prices haven’t curtailed local driving habits.
A big jump in the price of gas over the past week appears to have had a modest impact on local driving habits.
Gas prices are up about 17 cents per litre over the past two weeks, mostly attributed to hurricane-related damage to oil refineries down south.
That rising price is just an unfortunate reality to some drivers.
“I drive a little less now,” said Joe Kelly, as his car was being gassed up.
It’s not much less, though, because driving is a requirement of his job in the automotive industry.
“When you rely on a car for a living, you have to do what you have to do.”
A similar sentiment was offered by a Route 223 resident.
“Not likely,” a man, who did not want to provide his name, responded when asked if rising prices would mean driving less. “We live in a rural area, so you need to drive.”
Our Facebook audience was polled on potential changes to their driving habits as a result of rising gas prices.
“Driving less and using one vehicle until they come to their senses and stop gouging,” Donna MacDonald told the Post.
“I’m using my motorcycle. It saves on gas,” wrote Blair Paul.
Not only is Caroline Clarke driving less, she’s also walking more.
“I drive about the same amount,” Lin Sherwood responded.
Though some people are reducing their driving habits, business is still good at the Mercer Service Station on the Esplanade in Sydney.
“It hasn’t really affected business all that much,” said Colin Mitchell, the manager of the full service station.
“People need gas.”
What it has meant over the past week, though, has been an especially busy Thursday for the station.
“If there is going to be an increase, you can usually guarantee the day before people usually find out and you get a spike in business,”
he said.
“People watch what New Brunswick does. If New Brunswick goes up on Thursday, chances are people are going to be in to fill up on Thursday.”
Though people haven’t stopped buying gas, that doesn’t mean they are happy about the rising price.
“Everybody has the same opinion on it, that it is some kind of racket, so to speak,” he said. “But at the same time, if you need it you have to get it.”
Among those who can’t change their driving habits, despite the rising prices are those who work in the local delivery service industry.
For that group, the rising prices have represented a direct hit to their profits.
“We are just going to have to work through it,” said Cheryl Perry, a dispatcher for First Choice Delivery.
“You can’t raise your prices because of that. It’s not the customer’s fault. You have to work through the good times and the bad.”
The current bad times, attributed to rising prices, has meant the equivalent to buying an extra tank of gasoline every day for drivers, she said.
“Our drivers are definitely feeling it. They don’t get paid by the hour, they get paid by the call.”
That extra costs has everyone in the delivery business watching price changes very closely.
“We are not hearing anything, just crossing our fingers and hoping it will go down.”