After acknowledging that it did not have a contract in place to process transactions, gasoline-hedging service MyGallons.com has suspended accepting membership fees and placed the current fees in a non-interest bearing escrow account, says the BBB. Read the BBB’s findings inside.
fuel
By 7.10.08
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Northwest Airlines is cutting 2,500 jobs. Passengers may be asked to get out and push to help the plane taxi. [NYT]
See How Soaring Gas Prices Have Impacted Your Community With This Transportation Cost Heat Map
By 7.9.08
The Center for Neighborhood Technology has an fun (but painfully slow) interactive map that will allow you to see how soaring transportation costs are impacting different metro areas across the US.
By 7.7.08
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The WSJ Buzzwatch blog has a list of 50 things that are being blamed on the high cost of oil. Not all of them are bad, apparently my hometown of Elgin, IL is getting a new wind-turbine parts plant. [WSJ Buzzwatch via Kottke]
BBB Says MyGallons.com "Omitted Fact" In Advertising, Has No Contract To Process Transactions
By 7.3.08
The BBB says its concerned about gasoline-hedging company MyGallons.com and its ability to live up to the advertising claims on its website. A spokesperson for the BBB tells us that the biggest “red flag” they’ve discovered is that MyGallons claimed (in their press release) to have partnered with US Bank. However, when the BBB called US Bank to confirm this, they found out that it wasn’t true. US Bank had discussed the opportunity with MyGallons, but had declined. According to the BBB, despite the fact that they have no contractual agreements in place to process transactions, MyGallons is still signing up new customers.
By 7.2.08
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In case you were wondering, yes, it is illegal to trade sex for a $100 gas card. [The Smoking Gun]
By 7.1.08
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Now you can hedge fuel just like Southwest Airlines! A Miami company is offering gas-weary consumers the opportunity to “lock in” today’s gas prices. For an annual fee, one can obtain a gas card that works as a debit card at a variety of gas stations. Does this idea appeal to you? [MyGallons.com]
Who Is $4 Gas Hurting? Starbucks!
By 6.19.08
A survey by Kelley Blue Book says that new car shoppers are giving up Starbucks to help offset the cost of $4 gas. Sorry, big green mermaid lady! The KBB study results reveal that 28 percent of new-car shoppers have stopped going to Starbucks or other coffee houses entirely, and 21 percent indicate they are going less often due to skyrocketing gas prices.
Exxon To Exit Retail Gas Station Business
By 6.13.08
Exxon says the US retail gas station market is “too challenging” and they’ll be selling the roughly 2,220 service stations the company owns. There are 12,000 Exxon/Mobil branded stations in the United States, but about 75 percent are already owned by others.
Help! The Gas Station Froze $100 For $12 Of Gas And My Rent Check Bounced!
By 6.12.08
Reader WW is upset because a gas station froze $100 on a debit card transaction for $12 worth of gas. This caused his rent check to bounce. Now he’s got overdraft fees and he’s wondering why gas stations are doing this.
By 6.9.08
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Analysts are predicting that oil could hit $150 a barrel this summer. Won’t that be fun? [Reuters]
Gas Price Impact Map: Rural US Getting Slammed By $4 Gas
By 6.9.08
Suburban commuters may not enjoy paying an average of $4 a gallon for gas, but the rural US, where income levels are low and dependence on large vehicles is high, is getting hit the hardest says the New York Times.
Please Don't Hoard Gas Because It Will Catch Fire And Burn Down Your Apartment
By 6.9.08
Listen, we know gas costs more than $4 a gallon, and may go even higher, but that doesn’t mean you should start stockpiling gas. Two Dartmouth natives learned this the hard way when the 45-gallons of gas they were hoarding in nine plastic jugs ignited, nearly burning down their eight-unit apartment complex.
Woman Protests High Gas Prices By Setting Fire To Gas Stations, Starbucks
By 6.6.08
Here’s a bad idea. Please don’t protest high gas prices by setting fire to a Chevron station, an Arco station, and a Starbucks. Meet Diane Craig, 64, of Danville, California. She’s accused of using “fireplace logs” to try to start fires inside the restrooms of the two gas stations and a Starbucks.
Continental Says Airline Industry Is "In A Crisis"
By 6.5.08
Continental will cut 3,000 jobs and reduce capacity by 11% due to the ongoing “crisis” in the airline industry.
G.M. Will Close 4 Plants, May Sell "Hummer"
By 6.3.08
Gas prices are changing consumer behavior says G.M., forcing the manufacturer to slash production and close 4 plants as they make the shift toward more fuel efficient vehicles. They also announced that they may sell the “Hummer” brand.
POLL: Did $4 Gas Make You Drive Less On Memorial Day Weekend?
By 5.27.08
AAA is claiming that Americans drove 4.3% fewer miles on public roads in March — the first year-over-year decline since 1979, and that for the first time since 2002, Americans said they planned to drive less this Memorial Day weekend. So, with the national average at $3.936 per gallon, did you actually drive less?
Well, Gas Is Still Cheaper Than The Champagne Of Beers…
By 5.22.08
With gas prices topping $4.00 a gallon in Chicago, Chicagoist started wondering how much gallons of other liquids cost. Turns out gas is still cheaper than the Champagne of Beers…
