Both AAA Motor Club’s Fuel Gauge Report and GasBuddy.com, have given Chicago the dubious distinction of having the nation’s highest gas prices.

“Yes, Chicago is the top dog, number one, top of the heap for gas prices no matter if we like it or not,” said GasBuddy spokesperson Patrick DeHaan, who is based in the Windy City. “The highly coveted, most ridiculously high gas prices of the nation goes to…Chicago!”

Chicago drivers are find they're paying the highest prices in the nation when they fill up their gas tanks.

AAA’s Beth Mosher said the Illinois also has bragging rights on the higest state average for gas in the U.S. at $3.95 per gallon.

Read more at DNA Info Chicago.

No, not March weather, but local gas prices.

According to AAA, Chicago area drivers are experiencing historically highest pump prices for the start of March–but relief is on the way.

“Gas prices rose almost every day last month,” says AAA spokesperson Beth Mosher. “We’re seeing some of the highest prices for March–ever.”

AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report shows city gas pumps sporting an average price of $4.22 for a gallon of regular unleaded. That’s up 26 cents a gallon higher than a month ago, and 60 cents a gallon more expensive than this January’s prices. February ended the month a quarter per gallon higher than last February–a potentially ominous sign considering fuel prices tend to peak in late March or early April.

Read more at DNA Info Chicago.

After enjoying four months of declining fuel prices and some of the lowest prices in the last few years, local gas prices have risen over 10% according to two websites which track area gas prices.

According to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report, the average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the city has increased from $3.59 to $3.96 a gallon, a 37 cent bump. The price rose 25 cents just in the last week.

ChicagoGasPrices.com, which tracks pricing for the Chicago metro area,  has seen the cost of fuel rise 42 cents a gallon or a 12% increase the past 30 days. Local gas has gone from $3.44 to $3.86 a gallon in the past month and has risen 20 cents in the past week.

“Prices in Chicago are spiking, and have been in this upward direction for a week or so,” says Patrick DeHaan, a petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com. “It’s been ugly.”

Read more at DNA Info Chicago.

Since the beginning of September, local gas prices on average, have fallen around 90 cents a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline.

According to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report, prices have plummeted from $4.48 per gallon to $3.57 per gallon, while ChicagoGasPrices.com has gas declining from $4.37 per gallon in early September to $3.46 a gallon Monday.

In December, fuel prices have dropped around 20 cents a gallon according to both AAA and ChicagoGasPrices.com,  making area gas prices around 17 cents lower a gallon than prices a year ago. Nationally, fuel prices are an average 30 cents per gallon lower than this time last year.

“The reason for the downward trend that started a few months ago is a combination of decreased demand, increased supplies and the switchover to less expensive winter-blend fuels.” said AAA Chicago spokesperson Nick Jarmusz. “It was aided last month by the economic uncertainty resulting from the ‘fiscal cliff’ debate in Washington.”

Read More At DNA Info Chicago

Patrick DeHaan, petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, a website which tracks gas prices across the U.S. has a similar explanation for the lower prices to Jarmusz but is wary of what the future holds.

“Gas prices are much lower than last year at this time- certainly a better
situation than the opposite,” says DeHaan. “It bodes well, but it doesn’t negate the possibility of $4+ gas, which is still likely. Prices may be lower as inventory piles up regionally. The declines are due to seasonally lower demand, cheaper winter gasoline, and higher inventories as demand wanes.”

But what kind of prices will motorists see for the rest of 2013?

GasBuddy’s Fuel Price Outlook 2013 predicts a year of gas prices similar to last year with Chicago area motorists paying an average of $4.35 to $4.60 per gallon. That’s between 65 cents to a dollar more than the predicted national averages for the year.

AAA’s Jarmusz is more hesitant to offer any long term prognostications.

“As you know, it’s difficult to predict gas prices, even in the short term,” explains Jarmusz. “Right now, we anticipate that the current trend will continue, as we anticipate demand to remain low, supplies to remain high, and the fiscal debate in Washington continues.

But Jarmusz has concerns about disruptions to fuel supplies which happened several times during 2012, helping propel Chicagoland gas prices  to become the highest in the country at certain points during the year.

“Prices will inevitably go up a bit in the spring/summer, as we switch back to the summer blend and the travel season starts, but the real volatility usually comes on the supply side,” said Jarmusz.  “Any disruption in supply, whether that be caused by a deterioration of the situation in the Middle East or refinery and/or pipeline issues, could cause prices to spike up.”

Over the past month, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline has fallen about 25 cents a gallon according to two websites which track fuel prices.

AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report shows prices for the greater Chicagoland area are averaging around $3.52 per gallon, $.24 cents a gallon less than last month. ChicagoGasPrices.com pegs the average price per gallon at $3.55 per gallon, a full quarter cheaper than a month ago.

“Most motorists managed to save a little money on gasoline just in time for holiday shopping,” said Beth Mosher, AAA Chicago spokesperson. “Prices unfortunately did not fall as quickly as most of us would have liked as a result of factors ranging from fighting in the Middle East to optimism over the ‘fiscal cliff.’”

But while gas prices in the greater Chicago area are down substantially, drivers fueling up within Chicago proper have not seen the same level of price decreases this past month. The Fuel Gauge Report shows city gas at $3.74 per gallon which reflects just a 12 cent per gallon drop in the last 30 days.

And while motorists are enjoying less pain at the pump, those prices are still 8-10 cents higher per gallon than last year depending on the reporting website.

There is still hope on the horizon though. AAA is predicting further declines in gas prices through the end of the year.

Republicans point out the fact that gas is nearly double what it was before President Obama came to office.

In fact, Americans For Prosperity conducted a bus tour where they would stop at gas stations across the country and give motorists gasoline at the significantly lower 2009 price of around $1.85 per gallon. AFP even made a campaign stop in west suburban Lombard about a month ago.

Their point is that President Obama’s energy policies were at least partially to blame for the higher price of fuel.

On the other side of the political aisle, Democrats and  left leaning organizations such as Think Progress says President’s policies don’t have any significant impact on the price drivers pay for a gallon of gasoline.

Perhaps the truth is somewhere in the middle according to The Heritage Foundation.

The conservative think does not believe policies emanating from the White House are the sole reason for higher gas prices, but can, do and will have some impact on prices.

Heritage put together a list of recommendations they feel would work to lower the price of oil, and subsequently the price at the pump including approving the Keystone XL pipeline and lifting offshore drilling bans.

No matter which group’s price theory on gas you buy into, this issue will most likely factor into the calculus of voters deciding whom to vote for this coming Tuesday to lead our country over the next four years.

There’s good news and bad news at the gas pump.

Gas prices in Chicago have dropped 23 cents per gallon over the last 30 days–an approximate 5% decline.

According to ChicagoGasPrices.com, the average price for regular unleaded
gasoline is $4.06 per gallon, down 23 cents a gallon over the past month.

AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report also shows a decline of 23 cents per gallon over the past month in both the city proper and the greater Chicago metro area.
AAA shows area prices averaging $4.04 per gallon while gas is a bit higher within Chicago’s boundaries coming in at $4.25 per gallon.

Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy.com, the parent of ChicagoGasPrices.com, says a multitude of factors is putting downward pressure on prices.

During the summer regional refineries experienced glitches which took them off line for short periods and a Wisconsin pipeline was shutoff for temporarily due to leakage issues.

“First of all we’ve seen the situation with refineries alleviated,” said DeHaan. “Supply is adequate, demand is down and that’s
allowed prices to cool.”

In addition, as of September 16th, local refineries have begun switching
over from the federally mandated, lower emission, more expensive summer
fuel blend to the cheaper winter blend.

“When we see that happen prices tend to fall,” explains DeHaan. “It’s
hard to put an exact price on it—there’s no magic number—but it’s a five
to 15 cent difference in price (per gallon).”

With the summer travel season over and the switch to the winter blend,
prices are traditionally their lowest for the year.

But despite historical trends and declining prices, gas prices are
significantly higher than last year.

Both ChicagoGasPrices.com and AAA are showing current Chicago area gas prices an average 45 cents per gallon higher than a year ago–around 12% higher. Last year, the two sites were reporting average gas prices between $3.58 and $3.80 per gallon.

“Gas prices, even though they’ve fallen, are really high for this time of
year,” said Mosher. “We’ve just had prolonged prices for so long. September is when prices typically come down but that is not the case this fall.”

Mosher explains traditionally, fuel prices rise faster than they decline

Since fuel prices traditionally rise faster than they decline, when should motorists begin to see gas prices finally decline and stabilize close to normal levels?

“It won’t be until November when we think we’ll see pries start to break,” said Mosher. “It will be several weeks before drivers pocket some of that savings. We think there will be incremental decreases through October.”

Perhaps a vaguely bright spot is that with California gas prices hitting record highs and some gas stations there running out of fuel due to a refinery outage, Chicago has been replaced in the rankings for highest gas prices in the nation by a slew of California cities.

While Chicago area gas prices are still significantly higher than last year, local gas prices dropped nearly a quarter a gallon for regular unleaded gasoline in April, according to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report.

“Prices are starting to stabilize a little from the price increases we saw due to the switch over to the summer blend of gasoline,” said Beth Mosher, director of public affairs for AAA Chicago.

It was the end of March when Chicago gas prices reached a record high price of $4.68 per gallon in the city proper and $4.50 per gallon for the Chicago metro area according to AAA.

Since posting those unprecedented high prices, fuel costs at the beginning of May are down 31 cents to $4.37 a gallon for the city and are 34 cents lower in the greater metro area dropping to $4.18 per gallon.

Fuel price tracking website,ChicagoGasPrices.com shows a similar decline from an all-time record of $4.56 a gallon over a month ago to a current price of $4.22 per gallon–down 34 cents per gallon.

“The worst is certainly behind Chicago drivers,” said Patrick DeHaan, Senior Petroleum Analyst for GasBuddy.com. “The wholesale price of gas has taken a hit the last few weeks. Now that the switchover (to the cleaner burning summer blend) is over, supply will begin to build and prices will stabilize.”

While not the highest gas prices in the nation, GasBuddy.com still ranks Chicago in the top 5 cities for highest gas prices.

Chicago gas prices have again hit all time highs again today.

ChicagoGasPrices.com has the average price of regular unleaded gasoline at $4.56 per gallon, 4 cents above the previous record set last year.

While AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report has city prices 2 cents higher than last year’s record at $4.67 per gallon and Chicago area prices (including the suburbs) are at a record $4.50 per gallon.

So, with local gas prices ranked as the most expensive in the nation, and more pain at the pump on the horizon with some experts expecting $5 a gallon gas soon as gas stations start selling the more expensive summer blend, The Expired Meter has some tips to maximize your mileage.

With some help from AAA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s website, here’s our favorite 15 tips for squeezing a few extra miles out of a gallon of gas and reducing your pain at the pump.

Drive Like Grandma

Grandma had it right according to the AAA and the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Speeding, rapid acceleration, and excessive braking are all wasteful driving behaviors. Break out your blue haired wig and do your best Granny impersonation while behind the wheel and you can save you up to 33% on your gas usage.

Hey Leadfoot! Obey The Speed Limit!

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy, gas mileage decreases rapidly when vehicles exceed 60 mph. As a rule of thumb, it costs an additional 25 cents gallon for every 5 mph over the limit. In other words “follow the speed limit!”

Remove Excessive Weight From Your Vehicle

No, we’re not talking about kicking your mother-in-law to the curb. But if you have heavy tools, equipment, a bag of golf clubs, a dead body and/or a half-full keg of beer in your trunk from last weekend’s party, transporting this extra weight will cost you extra cash. Remove the junk from the trunk and get better mileage.

Avoid Idling

An idling engine is a wasteful engine. If you’re burning gas standing still, you’re getting 0 mpg.

Turn Off The A/C, Turn On The A/C

Running your air conditioning eats up gas quickly. Only run it if you have to. But driving with the windows open also increases gas consumption and in fact, is even worse than running the A/C. In other words, damned if you do, hot if you don’t.

Invest In A Tire Pressure Gauge

Sure, it may set you back 4 or 5 bucks, but a decent tire pressure gauge is necessary to keeping your tires properly inflated with the correct pressure. Under inflated tires increase your resistance and costs you more in gas. Plus properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

You can usually find the correct tire pressure for your vehicle on a decal in the driver’s side door jamb and/or listed in the owner’s manual in the glove box.

Buy The Good Motor Oil Ya’ Cheapskate!

Better, more expensive engine oils like synthetics or a standard motor oil with a friction reducing additive can improve fuel efficiency. At the very least use the grade of oil the manufacturer recommends for your engine. Don’t use 5W-30 when the owner’s manual ask for 10W-30.

Keep Your Engine In Tip Top Shape

Getting periodic engine tune ups can be expensive. But wasting gas because of an out of tune engine can be even more costly. Get your car in to a mechanic once a year for a proper tune up. And don’t hire your buddy’s cousin’s friend with the glazed expression on his face to do the job–hire a professional.

Get Organized, Plan Your Travel

Try to plan your driving so you’re not wasting gas and money traveling back and forth covering the same route a few times a day.

Blow Off Rush Hour

Come in or leave the office before or after rush hour. Less time in your car means less gas burned. What about tele-commuting some days? What’s better than working at home in your pajamas while watching those chicks from The View scream at each other?

Green Light, Red Light

Try to anticipate red lights. The less you stop, the better your gas mileage. Ease off the accelerator when the light ahead is red, safely speed up to catch the green when you can.

Avoid sprinting from red light to red light. In other words don’t drive like a dick.

Say NO To Topping Off The Tank

There’s a reason gas pumps have auto-shutoff valves–because overfilling can spill and waste gas.

Keep Your Gas Cap On Tight

Believe it or don’t, but allegedly according to Advance Auto Parts, “Improperly seated gas caps allow 147 million gallons of fuel to vaporize every year in the U.S.”

Highway Driving Tips

Don’t forget to use your cruise control and your overdrive gears when driving at higher speeds. Cruise control will even out your driving speed and when you use your car’s overdrive gears the engine slows down and wastes less gasoline. Consider removing unused luggage or bike racks to reduce drag on your vehicle.

Drive Less!

Walking. Riding a bike. Take public transportation. Combine errands when possible and consider carpooling. Less driving = less spent on gas. Duh!

Editors Note: This column is a mild revision of a previous advice piece The Expired Meter posted when gas prices hit record territory in 2011.

According to both AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report and online gas price tracking website GasBuddy.com, Chicago ranks number one for high gas prices.

“Since when is Chicago supposed to be the king of gas prices?,” asks GasBuddy’s Senior Petroleum Analyst Patrick DeHaan. “That’s usually reserved for Los Angeles or San Francisco. We’ve blown everyone else out of the water.”

But the bad news is, there doesn’t seem to be any short term relief in sight.

Normally, Chicago gas prices don’t peak until sometime between Memorial Day and the 4th of July as local refineries and gas stations begin selling the more expensive EPA mandated summer blend.

But Chicago’s gas prices are approximately 70 cents higher than last year, with the price rising approximately 80 cents per gallon in the last month, and have either exceeded or are flirting with all time records.

“This is an increase we’ve never seen before,” said DeHaan. “It is the fastest increase we’ve ever seen.”

At the beginning of last May, Chicago hit it’s previous record high gas price of $4.52 per gallon according to ChicagoGasPrices.com, but with the high recorded as $4.47 per gallon for the general Chicagoland area and $4.65 per gallon for Chicago proper.

Chicago has tied that record as of today according to ChicagoGasPrices.com and is just pennies away from a record at AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report.

“Yes, any day now,” says AAA’s Beth Mosher when asked about the inevitability of exceeding all time fuel prices in and around Chicago. “Chicago drivers have been experiencing pain at the pump for a while now. We’ve yet gone through the switchover to summer blends.  Trends would tell us we go through this prices would rise.”

“We’re waaaay ahead of last year,” says DeHaan about the steep climb in pump prices. “I’m a bit concerned. Now we are at $4.50 per gallon. Is $5 gasoline really that much of a stretch? I would like to think prices will stop short of $5. But five bucks is possible.”

But is there any light on the horizon for Chicago drivers? Mosher thinks so.

Officials with AAA are meeting with President Obama on these issues today according to Mosher.

“There is acknowledgement the situation has become untenable,” says Mosher. “Steps are being taken to correct that at the highest possible levels. It’s a positive sign for consumers.”

Mosher says details of the meeting will be released tomorrow.

DeHaan is not quite as optimistic as Mosher on the issue.

“By Memorial Day or July 4th, prices may be marginally lower,” says DeHaan. “I think Chicago will spend the entire summer with gas over $4 a gallon.”