Higher gas tab costs us dearly

Re: “City drivers paying high price at pumps; Big demand, shortfalls at city refinery push up cost,” the Journal, May 24. I live about 50 kilometres outside of Edmonton, and my daily commute to and from work is about 110 kilometres. Every time the price of gasoline jumps, my yearly costs increase drastically.

How much do higher gas prices affect my bottom line? I base the numbers below on my actual commute distance, about 28,600 kilometres a year, and on the fact that during non-winter months I drive a smaller vehicle that gets 35 miles a gallon and during winter I use a vehicle that gets 20 miles a gallon:

Driving the smaller vehicle uses 2,318 litres a year. At $1 a litre, that’s $2,318. Add 20 cents a litre to the price of gas, as we’ve recently experienced, and my yearly cost increases by $463.60

Driving the other vehicle uses 4,058 litres a year. At $1 a litre, the cost is $4,058. If I pay 20 cents a litre more for gas, my yearly costs rise by $811.60.

Why gas prices have taken so sharp an increase is beyond me, given the price of oil today is about $94 a barrel. I guess they boost prices because they can. If people actually realized the yearly cost they pay, they’d complain more.

Our governments are doing nothing about this because they collect tax revenues from fuel sales. Besides, oil companies are bigger than our governments.

Concerned about gas prices? Contact your MLA and MP.

Les Dombroski, Spring Lake