How high will gas prices go in Fresno? ‘Hypermiling’ can help cut your fuel bill

Jim Guy
·2 min read
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Fresno joined the rest of California Monday in experiencing fuel-anxiety syndrome as drivers woke up to find the price of gasoline at highest-ever levels.

The American Automobile Association listed the average Fresno-area price for regular grade gasoline at $5.168 a gallon, a surge from $4.69 last week. But it wasn’t hard to find that almost a bargain. At the Shell station at Maroa and Shields avenues, the price was $5.50.

How were consumers reacting? Just before noon GasBuddy, the website where many Americans go to find the cheapest fuel, crashed due to the overload of worried buyers.

Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy said the sky-high prices are of course directly related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the response by Western nations.

“It’s likely to stick around for not days, not weeks, but months,” he added.

California leads the nation in the high prices, but fuel was expensive everywhere The median national price jumped form $3.60 a week ago to $4.065, with the highest-ever price $4.114 in 2008.

Fuel-efficiency tips

There isn’t much drivers can do, but De Haan, along with other industry officials recommended more efficient driving habits. Called “hypermiling,” it can cut fuel costs by up to 40 percent, in extreme examples.

Some of the suggestions come from a British website and aren’t as useful in Fresno, including the suggestion of turning off air conditioning and driving with windows up.

Others are more practical, including:

  • Keep your vehicle well-maintained, and consider switching to a light-viscosity synthetic oil such as 0w20.

  • Check your tire pressure frequently and air up to 35-40 pounds of pressure.

  • Check the roadway ahead and drive at a rate that allows your car to cruise through green lights.

  • Shut the engine down when caught at a train crossing.