Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Energy

National Poll: Americans Expect Gas Prices to Rise More

Fifteen Percent Live Near Convenient Transit Options

susa_graph_1.gif

By a margin greater than four to one, Americans think the price of gas is more likely to hit $5 per gallon than drop to $3 per gallon, according to poll results released last week by Survey USA. With a rash of stories about how drivers are changing their habits appearing this month, the three-question survey lends weight to the argument that demand for gas drops noticeably once consumers firmly believe prices will remain high.

Also worth noting, nearly two-thirds of respondents say they have at least pondered the prospect of cutting back on driving in the face of escalating fuel costs. The number of Americans who can pull off that lifestyle change may be higher than you think: Fifteen percent live near a convenient transit alternative, according to the poll. With national transit mode share chugging upwards from the single digits, the results indicate that current infrastructure may have to carry significantly more passengers in the near future.

Taking a longer view, if fifteen percent is a rough approximation of the current ceiling for transit mode share, the need to expand access could not be more stark. But when it comes to reducing car dependence, congressional leaders are still sticking their heads in the sand.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

NYPD Admits Bike Crackdown Based on ‘Community’ Vibes, Not Data

It turns out, the new strategy arose not from data, but from people complaining about e-bikes at community meetings, the NYPD finally admits.

Pain Points: Victims of Road Violence Make Annual Pilgrimage to Demand Safe Streets

“This epidemic is preventable,” a grieving dad said on his first trip to Albany as part of Families for Safe Streets. “It doesn't have to be this way.”

May 14, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Top of the Pops Edition

A new battery-swapping cabinet shows the way forward. Plus other news.

May 14, 2025

Police Chase Linked to Fatal Hit-and-Run in Bronx

Kelvin Mitchell a father of three, was killed by a speeding driver apparently trying to escape police.

May 14, 2025

AG James Sues Trump Over ‘Strong-Arm’ Tactic of Tying DOT Funds to Immigration Crackdown

The U.S. Department of Transportation is illegally threatening to withhold billions in transportation funding to states that don't "cooperate" with the administration's immigration crackdown, a new suit argues.

May 13, 2025
See all posts