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GasBuddy News Article


Gas prices shrink NYC traffic
Sunday, July 06, 2008
New York Times -- Soaring gas prices and higher tolls seem to be doing for traffic in New York what Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ambitious congestion pricing was supposed to do: reducing the number of cars clogging the city's streets and pushing more people to use mass transit. In May, with gasoline at more than $4 a gallon, traffic at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's bridges and tunnels dropped 4.7 percent compared with the same month the previous year. Preliminary data for June shows a similar decrease in traffic, and officials say the change is largely because of higher prices at the pump. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has recorded a similar decline in travel across its bridges and tunnels since early March, when it raised tolls. The greatest decline was in April, when traffic fell by 4.2 percent. (The transportation authority also increased tolls in March, but by a much smaller amount.)

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JT
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Message Posted: 7/6/2008 6:18:52 AM  Ignore JT Report Abuse
Sunday, July 06, 2008
New York Times -- Soaring gas prices and higher tolls seem to be doing for traffic in New York what Mayor Michael Bloomberg's ambitious congestion pricing was supposed to do: reducing the number of cars clogging the city's streets and pushing more people to use mass transit. In May, with gasoline at more than $4 a gallon, traffic at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's bridges and tunnels dropped 4.7 percent compared with the same month the previous year. Preliminary data for June shows a similar decrease in traffic, and officials say the change is largely because of higher prices at the pump. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has recorded a similar decline in travel across its bridges and tunnels since early March, when it raised tolls. The greatest decline was in April, when traffic fell by 4.2 percent. (The transportation authority also increased tolls in March, but by a much smaller amount.)

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REPLIES (newest first)
NinaGA
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Atlanta

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Message Posted: 7/8/2008 5:28:14 PM  Ignore NinaGA Report Abuse
Not surprised
magnumCA
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Los Angeles

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Message Posted: 7/8/2008 2:24:06 PM  Ignore magnumCA Report Abuse
I doubt it
corgone
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Florida

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 1:45:13 PM  Ignore corgone Report Abuse
So with less congestion does this mean that people will drive a little more kindly?=~)
letmathe
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Chicago

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 7:08:20 AM  Ignore letmathe Report Abuse
Driving in NYC will remain a totally interesting experience for the foreseeable future, I'm sure!
JimL1
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Phoenix

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:57:11 AM  Ignore JimL1 Report Abuse
Increase the cost of driving until only the wealthy privileged few can afford to use the roads that all of us paid to construct.

This is the great American way. It is just like our US Congress which gets a raise, then reduces the medicare payments to the doctors who will now refuse to accept medicare and increases the cost of medicare premiums. All this while congress enjoys health care benifits far beyond medicare.
domer2
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Gary

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:56:09 AM  Ignore domer2 Report Abuse
unbelievable gridlock to gridlock. yea.
unsoundmind
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Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:40:43 AM  Ignore unsoundmind Report Abuse
If revenues fall, they will raise taxes, not on those that use the roads but on those that are now using mass transit. Maybe New York is like Denver Colorado where they imposed an occupational privilege tax. It's the tax you pay for working in the city. You don't get any services for that tax, but you do get to work there.
good2goVA
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Virginia

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:34:44 AM  Ignore good2goVA Report Abuse
so when the transportation folks receive less money due to less traffic, they will have to tax folks a different way.
CatbirdWoman
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Ohio

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:34:10 AM  Ignore CatbirdWoman Report Abuse
I have never been in NYC but I would not like to drive in them.
HockeyLady
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New Jersey

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:30:28 AM  Ignore HockeyLady Report Abuse
still need more mass transit to get to NYC!
CruisinLinda
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Tallahassee

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:30:06 AM  Ignore CruisinLinda Report Abuse
Any one who can afford the parking charges in Manhattan and the tolls, even before the increase, can afford the higher gas prices.
MG_Sputnik
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Philadelphia

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:30:06 AM  Ignore MG_Sputnik Report Abuse
What about other cities?
jeb007
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Indiana

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:29:59 AM  Ignore jeb007 Report Abuse
Not surprised one bit. I bet it's less than that around here, but who knows.
PokerAce
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Louisiana

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:26:39 AM  Ignore PokerAce Report Abuse
NYC traffic could stand some shrinkage.... I'll bet cabs have gone up in price a lot....
Blackice
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Twin Cities

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:25:35 AM  Ignore Blackice Report Abuse
Let me know when traffic drops 24.7%. Now that would be something to report about.
RF4CPhantom
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Oklahoma City

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:25:21 AM  Ignore RF4CPhantom Report Abuse
Very interesting~!
sjl08203
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New Jersey

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:24:07 AM  Ignore sjl08203 Report Abuse
And my wallet
fastfreddy38
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Ontario

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:23:09 AM  Ignore fastfreddy38 Report Abuse
Exactly!!
LuvEd08
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Georgia

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:22:58 AM  Ignore LuvEd08 Report Abuse
what about alternative fuel buses?
rbdesigns
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Modesto

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:21:03 AM  Ignore rbdesigns Report Abuse
Gas goes up, everything else will follow!
rjb21760
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Chicago

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:20:55 AM  Ignore rjb21760 Report Abuse
Smaller cars and truck?
The_WB
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Detroit

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:20:50 AM  Ignore The_WB Report Abuse
5% is not enough to help NYC!
jackson661
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Columbus

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:17:06 AM  Ignore jackson661 Report Abuse
Well it is about time!
acknot
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Seattle

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:15:47 AM  Ignore acknot Report Abuse
This is a normal reaction.
Lonewolftx
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Houston

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:15:15 AM  Ignore Lonewolftx Report Abuse
An added benefit . . .
Don20
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Oklahoma City

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:12:28 AM  Ignore Don20 Report Abuse
That is good..
jetsfan6
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New Jersey

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:12:27 AM  Ignore jetsfan6 Report Abuse
I agree with Grebe. Next thing you know, they'll be raising tolls on us with the excuse that not enough people are driving and toll revenues are falling and that the current revenues willnot generate enough income. It's so fun living in the tollbooth capital of the world. not only do you have the bridges and the tunnels but also the garden State Parkway, the NJ Turnpike and the NY Thruway. My E-Z pass is smoking after a trip in the tri-state.
cresovia
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Tallahassee

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:09:34 AM  Ignore cresovia Report Abuse
Poor New Yawkers!!!
Matts_Pap
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Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:09:23 AM  Ignore Matts_Pap Report Abuse
13 Thousand cabs use a lot of gas.
kypeanuts
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Louisville

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:08:54 AM  Ignore kypeanuts Report Abuse
as long as prices continue to rise, traffic #'s will fall
cudatim
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San Antonio

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:07:18 AM  Ignore cudatim Report Abuse
NY NY, you got to love them.
Grebe
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Wisconsin

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:05:22 AM  Ignore Grebe Report Abuse
All these "gas prices makes a difference" articles are triggering bouts of deja vu.

Next month's article: New York and New Jersey are having to dramatically increase their bridge and tunnel tolls due to severely declining traffic using those critical revenue sources.
Brn2bEvl
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New York

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:03:10 AM  Ignore Brn2bEvl Report Abuse
Tell me about it!!!
tomok
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Portland

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:01:38 AM  Ignore tomok Report Abuse
Gas prices have shrunk traffic everywhere -- not just NYC....
hblee
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Ontario

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 6:00:46 AM  Ignore hblee Report Abuse
And I thought it was the outrageous prices they charge for parking in downtown Manhattan!
leolisa
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New York

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:54:50 AM  Ignore leolisa Report Abuse
price of gas and food..who can afford to drive anymore?
sailormon
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Michigan

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:52:47 AM  Ignore sailormon Report Abuse
You should see the double decker parking spaces in NYC! And the prices they pay for parking downtown!!
FFootdoc12
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Illinois

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:50:39 AM  Ignore FFootdoc12 Report Abuse
the tip of the iceberg
AlaRedNeck
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Kansas

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:49:50 AM  Ignore AlaRedNeck Report Abuse
Sure demand is down...but they lower production to keep the prices high.
RochBear
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Minnesota

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:49:00 AM  Ignore RochBear Report Abuse
New York is one of the few places in this country which does have good mass transit. The subway system is great.
And if you think gas is expensive, you should try to park a car in the city.
krucker
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Austin

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:47:54 AM  Ignore krucker Report Abuse
Good. Demand is down................Prices should drop.............RIGHT?
yelobus
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Houston

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:47:09 AM  Ignore yelobus Report Abuse
Good.
proverbs3
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Detroit

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:40:51 AM  Ignore proverbs3 Report Abuse
You know that everyone is going to try to get their money somehow.
Government funded road improvements - less money from people paying gas tax, the government will come up with something creative.
Bridge, Tunnel, Toll ways - less vehicles means less money for them. They will increase their tolls even more.
Netscaper113
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New York City

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:38:26 AM  Ignore Netscaper113 Report Abuse
sure..
mcevoy22
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Utah

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:35:26 AM  Ignore mcevoy22 Report Abuse
I feel sorry for those New Yorkers paying twice for the increase in gas prices.
spunky4443
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Washington

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:34:23 AM  Ignore spunky4443 Report Abuse
I would imagine alot of the 50 states, would be having problems with HIGH fuel prices.
SpruceGuse2
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Michigan

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:34:21 AM  Ignore SpruceGuse2 Report Abuse
New York traffic..............how about the entire North American Continent traffic?
mrkel
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Cincinnati

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:33:48 AM  Ignore mrkel Report Abuse
Way to go NYC!
ardmoretoday
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Oklahoma

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:33:41 AM  Ignore ardmoretoday Report Abuse
Same old news.
gasman50
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Portland

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Message Posted: 7/7/2008 5:29:00 AM  Ignore gasman50 Report Abuse
Another excuse for government to raise taxes and tolls
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