Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Mary Peters

Gasoline Shortages Fuel Panic and Rage in the South

Here's a disturbing story from the Associated Press on gas shortages in Asheville, North Carolina, where hot-tempered drivers are waiting in long lines to fill up, only to find in some cases that the pumps are tapped. Asks one flustered motorist:

"What's wrong with our government? Why are they letting this happen to us?"

Maybe the saddest thing about that comment is that, months into the current gas price spike and years after Hurricane Katrina caused similar supply interruptions, Washington still isn't talking about how to wean Americans off the stuff. As Atlantans Twitter to find the nearest line and Tennesseans take to the Internet with profanity-laced rants, Senate Republicans this week blocked a spending package that would have boosted funding for overburdened transit systems, while the best US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters can do is a paltry $30 million federal allocation to be split among 15 commuter rail projects.

Video: WorldWide News Today/YouTube

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Mamdani Pitches Free Buses (Cheap!) Plus Other Transportation Needs on ‘Tin Cup’ Day in Albany

The mayor gave his former colleagues in state government a glimpse of his thinking on transportation and city operations, and hopes they can send more cash his city's way.

February 12, 2026

‘Everyone’s At Fault’: Mamdani and City Council Point Fingers Over Lowering Speed Limits

The mayor and the City Council are using the "art of deflection" to keep the status quo instead of lowering the speed limit to a safer 20 miles per hour.

February 12, 2026

Report: Pedestrians Are At Risk … Where You’d Least Expect It

The city may be underestimating number of outer borough pedestrians and is biased towards Manhattan, a new report finds.

February 12, 2026

Thursday’s Headlines: Down With DSPs Edition

Council Member Tiffany Cabán will reintroduce a bill taking on Amazon's use of third-party delivery companies. Plus more news.

February 12, 2026

Data: New Yorkers Keep Biking In This Cold, Cold World

Even in the city's historic deep freeze, New Yorkers are getting around by bicycle, according to publicly available data.

February 11, 2026

The Real Problem in Central Park Isn’t Speed — It’s Scarcity

New York City has chronically underinvested in cycling infrastructure compared to its global peers.

February 11, 2026
See all posts