Memorial Day travelers will be paying record prices at the gas pump
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The summer travel season begins this weekend, but it won't come without a stiff price whether your trip involves air travel or a journey by car.
As Memorial Day weekend is upon us, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, says concerns over COVID have been replaced over worries surrounding the ever-increasing price of a gallon of gas.
"Against a backdrop of gas prices that have continued to set new records ahead of Memorial Day, Americans have been resilient in their desire to hit the road, but we're certainly seeing increased hesitancy due to rising prices at the pump," De Haan said. "COVID is still present, but has been dwarfed this year by Americans' concern over high gas prices and dwindling affordable travel options to make use of best months of the year."
Meanwhile, Auto Club spokesman Doug Shupe said he expects millions of Californians to hit the road this weekend for the 3-day holiday
"Even though drivers will be paying the highest gas prices ever, we expect this to be the fourth busiest Memorial Day travel volume on record for Southern California," he said.
Across the Bay Area, many residents will be opting for staycations. Opting to take in music at the BottleRock Napa festival or enjoying the sights and sounds of the Carnaval San Francisco parade.
According to AAA, the average gas price for a gallon of regular across California is slightly above $6. But they are much higher in the Bay Area.
The travel agency says on Friday morning the average price of a gallon in San Francisco $6.31 with it being $6.18 in Oakland, $6.20 in San Jose and $6.28 in San Rafael.
If your weekend plans include a trip in your car, the Auto Club has some cost-saving tips.
- Make sure your tires are properly maintained and inflated to the correct level.
- Avoid "jackrabbit" starts and hard accelerations. These actions greatly increase fuel consumption.
- Slow down and drive the speed limit. Fuel economy peaks around 50 mph on most cars, then drops off as speed increases. Reducing freeway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14%.
- Use cruise control on the highway to help maintain a constant speed and save fuel. However, never use cruise control on slippery roads because you could lose control of the vehicle.