Local & State Headlines

Fuel prices spiking

• Experts predict that fuel prices will hit the $4 mark by summer.

Barbara Rivera Holmes

ALBANY — Oh yeah, the time of the $4 gallon of gas is right around the corner.

This week in Albany, gas prices seemed to do one thing only: spike.

A gallon of regular unleaded in Albany topped out Friday at about $3.36, edging a bit higher than the national average of $3.30 per gallon (AAA).

The national average a year ago, AAA reported, was $2.70, 22 percent less than today. A month ago, the national average for regular unleaded was $3.17 and just Thursday, was $3.29.

By summer, economists expect gas to hit the $4 mark.

The average Friday for diesel was $4.02 compared to $2.87 a year ago. And for E85, a blend of ethanol and gas, the national average Friday was $2.71, AAA reported, a little higher than last month’s average high of $2.60.

Here, a few experts’ tips to help save some dough at the pump:

• Don’t wait to hit empty before filling the tank.
• Fill up before dawn or late at night, when the sun is setting and traffic is easing. “Stations usually will raise prices during the day, especially for rush hour,” states an article at www.kiplinger.com.
• Verify that the price at the pump and price at the marquee match.
• Before fueling, make sure the pump starts at $0.
• Drive a bit slower, don’t go for 0-60 in four and don’t come to a screeching halt.
• Take care to keep vehicles in good shape; get them maintained.
• Get a load off; the more weight a vehicle carries, the more energy it needs to go.
• When traveling, check out gas prices at sites such as gas buddy or AAA’s www.fuelgaugereport.com.
• Carpool.

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