Gas prices have been well above the $3 per gallon mark for over a year now, but in the last few months, they’ve climbed to $4-plus per gallon, which is where they are likely to stay for the near future, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA). The agency predicts that during the May-through-September summer driving season this year, regular gasoline retail prices will average about $3.95 per gallon, peaking in May at a monthly average price of $4.01 per gallon.
This is not good news to the numerous contractors whose profit margins have already been battered by the weak economy. But contractors are nothing if not resilient, and in response to escalating gas prices, many are becoming creative in the ways in which they are trying to reduce their fuel consumption.