Fuel Costs and Summer Travel

You Are Here: April 29, 2012

In this hour we preview of summer travel and the costs of getting to your destination. The rising cost of fuel has been a topic at the center of the nation’s attention for years and it doesn’t seem to be letting up. We find out what goes into the cost of fuel, how it’s effecting transportation prices, and what Americans are doing in the face of this challenge. Next we take a look at media coverage of gas prices and the politics involved. Our reporters find out if the media has reported gas prices truthfully and what role policy makers have in determining the cost of fuel.  What exactly goes into the cost of fuel, and is there any rhyme or reason for how the price at the pump is determined? We break down the many factors —  domestic and global — that go into gas prices and where our money actually goes.

We discuss the effect high prices have on local businesses. With some analysts predicting as high as $5 a gallon by this summer, businesses that rely on transportation face a real challenge. We find out how local businesses are coping. Then our reporters take a look at how Americans are dealing with the rising fuel costs. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Americans consume an average 208 million gallons of motor gas per day, but does this have an effect on American driving habits? Finally we’ll hear about air travel this summer and how fuel costs play into the price of your plane ticket. We take a closer look at why airfares are surging and airlines are filing bankruptcy in this summer preview of the cost of flying.

LISTEN: Intro- Fuel Costs and Summer Travel
Introduction to your preview of summer travel and the costs of getting to your destination– including what goes into the cost of fuel, how it’s effecting the cost of transportation, and what Americans are doing in the face of this challenge.

LISTEN: What drives fuel costs?
We break down the many factors — domestic and global — that go into gas prices and find out where our money is actually going. (Reporter Elizabeth Gillis)

LISTEN: What’s behind an airline ticket?
How fuel costs play into the price of your plane ticket and a look at why airfares are surging and airlines are filing bankruptcy. (News Director Kyna Doles and Producer Alyssa Edes)

LISTEN: Manipulating media coverage of fuel prices
Find out how much truth there is to media coverage of gas prices and what role policy makers really have in determining the cost of fuel.  (Reporter Rebecca Morris)

LISTEN: Consumer behavior
Americans consume an average 208 million gallons of motor gas per day, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, but we explore exactly how much of an effect this has on our habits. (Reporter Arjun Singh)

LISTEN: Businesses cope with rising costs
With some analysts predicting as high as $5 a gallon by this summer, businesses that rely on transportation have to find new ways to cope. (Reporter Victoria Bedford)

LISTEN: Exclusive Interview with Greg Laskowski
Greg Laskowski is a senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.com and he explains the role the media plays in determining the costs of gas.

 

Producer Alyssa Ades