St. Paul Pioneer Press: Gas prices steer drivers to public transport

[marmar]

Gas prices steer drivers to public transport
Bus, light-rail ridership up as Minnesotans cut back behind the wheel this spring


By Leslie Brooks Suzukamo
[e-mail]
Article Last Updated: 06/19/2008 09:49:08 PM CDT


Record high gas prices this spring appear to have persuaded Minnesotans to drive less and take the bus more.

Minnesotans drove 190 million fewer miles in April than for the same month a year ago, a drop of 4.1 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's latest report on the nation's driving habits released Wednesday.

That's a sharper drop than seen nationwide. Americans drove 1.8 billion fewer miles in April than for the same month in 2007, a 1.8 percent reduction in miles driven, but that comes on top of a 4.3 percent national reduction in miles driven in March.

In March, Minnesotans cut back their driving by 1.5 percent, or 70 million miles, compared with the same month last year.

So Minnesota drivers may just be catching up with the rest of the nation, not leading the pack, said Gail Weinholzer, director of public affairs for AAA Minnesota-Iowa.

In March, the region's gasoline prices still hadn't spiked, Weinholzer pointed out.

Crude oil prices began shooting up in early spring, but the price of gas at the pump lagged in this region, so Minnesotans weren't subject to the same kind of price shocks as drivers in places like California, where prices jumped past $4 a gallon earlier.

"The lag isn't here anymore," she said. "We've caught up with these high crude oil prices."

The average price of regular unleaded gas peaked June 12 to about $4 a gallon in the Twin Cities, but on Thursday, it had dropped back to $3.91 a gallon, according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report. ....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.twincities.com/ci_9641538?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com