Isle drivers resigned
to higher gas prices

The state's average is 2 cents
lower than the national average

» Hawaii prices compared abroad

Gas prices shot up as much as 27 cents at some stations yesterday -- topping $3.50 a gallon for regular unleaded on Maui -- as increases in mainland markets tied to the state's gasoline price cap law began to be reflected in Hawaii pump prices.

Despite the increases, yesterday's statewide average of $3.02 a gallon for regular unleaded was still 2 cents lower than the national average, and well below the highest price in the country, $3.35 in Washington, D.C., according to AAA's Fuel Gauge Report. The auto club bases its index on transactions from the previous day.

Hawaii's average was a penny higher than the previous day, but still lower than 28 other states and the nation's capital.

"Although Hawaii gas prices are high, they are not as high as other mainland states where gasoline prices were traditionally lower than Hawaii's prices," said Senate Consumer Protection Chairman Ron Menor (D, Mililani). "In that regard, I believe Hawaii's consumers are already seeing a positive and beneficial effect from the law."

Critics of the "gas cap" note that Hawaii gets its oil from Alaska and Asia and prices may not have increased at the same rate as the mainland. They say it is impossible to tell whether that would have happened now because the law, which took effect last Thursday, ties island prices to an average of spot prices in the Gulf Coast, New York and Los Angeles.

The new weekly price caps, based on the weekday average in the three mainland markets since last Wednesday, are to be posted by the Public Utilities Commission today and become effective Monday.

Caps that took effect this week were 27 cents higher than the previous week, reflecting Hurricane Katrina's damage to the Gulf Coast early last week.

Analysts say prices are likely to go up as retailers exhaust supplies that were purchased before the new cap prices took effect Monday.

Increases already were being seen at some stations yesterday.

On Oahu, a Shell station on Ward Avenue was selling regular unleaded for $3.15 a gallon, up from $2.88 the previous day.

At West Maui Shell in Lahaina, regular unleaded was selling for $3.51 a gallon yesterday afternoon. Sen. Rosalyn Baker (D, Honokohau-Makena) said that was 27 cents higher than when she drove past the station yesterday morning.

The manager at the station, who did not give his name, confirmed the price but declined further comment.

Baker said she, like other lawmakers, plans to keep a close watch on prices and their effect on their islands' economies.

At Uptown Chevron in Wailuku, some residents said they've tried to combine or cut back on long trips, but it hasn't been easy.

"It's harder to survive," said Doreen Waikiki of Kula.

Guilherme Schwanz, who travels nearly 25 miles from his home in Wailuku to his work in Kaanapali, said his family sold their second vehicle and kept their compact car, which gets about 33 miles per gallon. Schwanz, an amenities supervisor at the Hyatt Regency Maui, said he's also started a second job at another hotel.

Michael Joss, a Honokowai resident and a project supervisor for a painting contractor, said he tries to make one trip a week to central Maui, where he picks up supplies for his work.

Asked what he thought of gasoline prices at his pump, Joss said, "I'm afraid to look. I guess I'm in denial."

On Kauai, Dave Turner, a visitor from Las Vegas, was resigned as he put regular gas into his rental car for $3.36 a gallon at the Chevron station in Kapaa. Unleaded regular was up a quarter per gallon from Monday.

"I'm not pleased with it, for sure, but it's pretty close to that at home," Turner said. "It's better than walking."

Turner said prices haven't changed his vacation plans yet.

"It's just a fact of life," he said.

David and Kathleen Gissing, who own Paws of Paradise, a mobile dog grooming company, drive hundreds of miles a week. While gas prices have not yet led to an increase in their costs for services, that may change if the upward trend continues.

"If the gas goes up much more, unfortunately we're going to have to pass that on to our customers," David Gissing said. "We hope it doesn't affect our business, but we have absolutely no choice here at the moment."

In Kailua-Kona, prices reportedly reached $3.48 a gallon at some stations, according to Hawaiigasprices.com, a Web site that allows consumers to post prices themselves.

Rep. Josh Green (D, Keauhou-Honokohau) said he also plans to watch prices carefully because they affect many in the construction industry who live in his district.

"It's a colossal price for people who drive SUVs and trucks," he said. "It's not just guys driving Hummers who have a million dollars in the bank. It's a bunch of guys driving Toyota Tacomas because they have to put wood and mortar and bricks in their truck for work."

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Hawaii prices
compared abroad

A look at where Hawaii gas prices ranked in relation to the rest of the country yesterday. Figures are in cost per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline.

Top 10

1. Washington, D.C., $3.35
2. Maryland, $3.27
3. New York, $3.25
4. Delaware, $3.22
5. Rhode Island, $3.21
6. Nebraska, $3.20
7. Pennsylvania, $3.19
8. Massachusetts, $3.16
9. New Jersey, $3.15
10. Maine, Vermont, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina,$3.14

30. Hawaii, $3.02

Bottom 10

42. Minnesota, $2.95
43. Idaho, $2.93
44. Washington, $2.92
45. Wyoming, $2.92
46. Montana, $2.91
47. Utah, $2.90
48. Oregon, $2.89
49. Alaska, $2.75
50. Mississippi, $2.75
51. Louisiana, $2.74

Source: AAA Fuel Gauge Report