Sidebar Addition: Current Gas Prices. Although rising fuel prices are forcing transit agencies to look yet again to fare hikes, I cannot help but to be pretty excited about the prospect of higher gas prices encouraging a paradigm shift from driving to transit. With gas prices approaching $5 per gallon here in the Bay Area, we are seeing increased ridership: BART, for instance, reported an average of 367,570 daily exits at its stations between April and June 2008, more than a 5% increase over the preceding quarter. Still more riders will join the party if gas costs $7 by the year 2010. In celebration, you might say — and as a reminder of the better alternative — a photo of current gas station prices has been added to the sidebar, to be updated periodically. The photo posted right now comes from the Chevron at 19th & Irving in San Francisco. Please drop me an email or write in the comments if you know a gas station with even higher prices that should be posted — provided, of course, that the gas station is accessible by transit.
The Shell Gas Station at El Camino Real and 20th Avenue in San Mateo always has the highest gas prices. I haven’t been there lately; but a couple of weeks ago, it had already hit the mid $5.50’s!
We really need to wake up folks; if anything, now is the time for change.
Fred: thanks for the tip, it’d be great to get a shot of those prices. I’ll have to check it out next time I’m in the vicinity.