This is really getting serious. You can't hardly find a flight. They triple prices during high volume times of the year. And now they're cancelling flights because the planes are not receiving regular maintenance.

We don't have many other options for traveling. Gas is at an all-time high, most rail systems have been removed, and I don't even know if Greyhound is still in business. Flying is our last resort. What will we do?

 

I agree gas is at an all time high and is criminal but I have found that most people-who complain about the near 4 dollars a gallon-won't even blink an eye at there morning Starbucks that is over 4 dollars.
A big temporary solution would be for the State and Feds to lower there tax on gas. That would bring it down by about 50% in my state. They actually make more money on it than the supposed big evil oil companies.
Also... time to start drilling our own oil. We have it and there is no reason not to.

Greyhound still exists. Trains are still awesome. If the HHR's 30+ mpg on the highway aren't good enough and all else fails... hitch!!

 

We will be flying down to Florida in about 6 weeks, and I'm a bit concerned how about it. Hopefully things will be better by then, but who knows. The last thing I want ruining our vacation is canceled flights.

 

As a laid-off aircraft mechanic for Usairways, I could comment, but I really don't think anyone would like what I have to say!

 

Although I overwhelmingly agree with your logic, I disagree with your math.

If I remember correctly, the highest total (including Federal) gasoline taxes are paid by Hawaii, at just over 53 cents/gallon. That's not quite 50% in my math books . I believe your state, Oregon, is something like 45 cents, total.

My state, Arizona, discussed this very action, a while back. Decided against it. State says they need the money to keep operating.

 

Last Tuesday I was at Palm Beach International waiting to board my flight home. At the next gate was a crowd waiting for a Delta flight to Atlanta. They had already been delayed and hour when the pilot came over to announce the flight had been further delayed. The electical problem that was the problem was not corrected by a repair at the gate, so they had to wait for a part to come in from Atlanta. In the meantime, he also had to announce that Delta had no spare aircraft to replace that flight. It sure made my group nervous as our plane was getting ready to board, and we were flying Delta. I have another trip south in May. I hope that everything is okay by then. Seems that there are problems with the McDonnell/Douglas MD-88 aircraft, which is what Delta has reduced itself to on all flights from New England to Florida. I miss Song Airlines, and I miss my bigger aircraft! The only thing I have going for me is the price.......$182 round trip non-stop, Boston to Palm Beach.

 

Found this

TOTAL US FUEL TAXES BY STATE
After crude oil costs, taxes are the second largest contributor to the price paid at the pump. Together Federal and State excise taxes on fuel account for an average cost of approximately 62 cents per gallon. Rates include Federal excise taxes 18.4 cpg for gasoline and 24.4 cpg for diesel. cpg = cents per gallon
State Gasoline
(¢/g) Diesel
(¢/g) Comment
Alabama 38.6 45.6 2 cent inspection fee. 1 cpg Transport Fee. City and Couny levies can be from .5 to 6 cpg.
Alaska 26.4 32.4
Arizona 37.4 52.4 1 cpg UST tax. Use class vehicles pay an additionsl 9cpg for diesel
Arkansas 40.2 47.2 .3 cpg environmental assurance fee for underground storage tank fund
California 63.9 72.0 6% Sales Tax. 1.25% county tax. 1.2 cpg state UST fee. plus local sales tax
Colorado 40.4 44.9
Connecticut 62.5 61.4
Delaware 41.4 46.4 .9% gross receipts tax for Hazardous substance cleanup fund.
Dist. of Columbia 38.4 44.4
Florida 51.6 53.4 Sales tax 11.6. 4 cpg excise tax. 2.2 cpg environmental inspection.
Georgia 44.4 52.6 4% sales tax. Local option sales taxes from 1% to 3%
Hawaii 51.0 71.1 4% sales tax. county tax and 0.1 cpg environmental reponse tax.
Idaho 43.4 49.4
Illinois 57.9 65.7 6.25% sales tax. 0.003 per gallon tax for underground storage tank fund. Additional 12.75 cpg in City of Chicago
Indiana 50.1 69.2 6% sales tax. 0.01 per gallon inspection fee.
Iowa 40.1 47.9 1 cpg UST fee.
Kansas 43.4 51.4 1 cpg environmental fee
Kentucky 36.9 39.9 1.4cpg underground storage tank fund. Commercial carriers pay surtax 2.2cpg quarterly on gas and 5.2 cpg on special fuels
Louisiana 38.4 44.4
Maine 47.5 53.9 .07 Coastal and Inland Water fund. 1.38 groundwater fund. 40 cpg/10,000 for Petroleum Market Share Act.
Maryland 41.9 48.7
Massachusetts 41.9 47.9 2.5 cp UST fund.
Michigan 54.4 60.3 6% sales tax. .875 cpg for environmental regulation fee for refined petroleum fund
Minnesota 40.4 46.4 2 cpg UST cleanup fee at wholesale level
Mississippi 37.2 43.2 .4 cpg Environmental Protection Fee. In Han****, Harrison and Jackson counties there is an additional 3 cpg Seawall tax.
Missouri 36.0 42.0
Montana 46.2 53.0 0.75cpg fee assessed at the pump to go toward the state cleanup fund.
Nebraska 42.3 47.7 0.9cpg release prevention fee for gasoline and 0.3cpg release prevention fee for diesel
Nevada 50.9 53.0 up to 10cpg county tax on gasoline.0.75 cpg cleanup fee. .055 cpg inspection fee.
New Hampshire 38.0 44.0 0.125 cpg for oil pollution control fund.1.5 cpg for UST cleanup fund.
New Jersey 32.9 41.9 4 cpg Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax.
New Mexico 36.4 43.4 1 cpg loading fee.
New York 59.6 64.7 local county sales tax of between 3.125% to 4.75%.
North Carolina 48.6 54.6 0.25cpg inspection tax.17.5 cpg flat rate plus a variable rate of 12.35 cpg wholesale price component
North Dakota 41.4 47.4
Ohio 46.4 52.4 Surcharge of 3 cpg for commercial vehicles.
Oklahoma 35.4 38.4 1 cpg per gallon UST fee.
Oregon 43.4 48.7 additional optional county gasoline (ranging from 1 to 3 cpg) and city gasoline and diesel taxes (ranging from 1 to 5 cpg).
Pennsylvania 50.7 63.6 19.2 cent per gallon oil company franchise tax on gas. 26.1 cpg oil company franchise tax on diesel.1.1 cpg UST fee
Rhode Island 49.4 55.4 1 cent per gallon environmental protection regulatory fee for UST program.
South Carolina 35.2 41.2 0.25 cpg inspection fee for inspection program and 0.50cpg environmental fee for UST cleanup.
South Dakota 42.4 48.4 2 cpg Tank Inspection Fee. Ethanol is taxed at 20 cents per gallon; E85 and M85 are taxed at 10 cpg.
Tennessee 39.8 42.8 1cent special petroleum tax for gasoline and .4 cpg environmental assurance fee.
Texas 38.4 44.4
Utah 42.9 48.9
Vermont 38.4 50.4 1 cpg license fee for UST fund.
Virginia 38.0 44.0 0.6cpg petroleum storage tank fee and 2% sales tax on motor fuels in localities that are part of the Northern Virginia Transportation District
Washington 54.4 60.4
West Virginia 49.9 55.9
Wisconsin 51.3 57.3 2cpg UST fee on gasoline and diesel.
Wyoming 32.4 38.4 1 cpg to the environmental cleanup costs.
Please note the above rates are meant as only guidelines of pump taxes and may not represent the full tax amount at the pump.
Source: Compiled by GasBuddy Organization from various sources.
* UST = Underground Storage Tank

 

I knew my state was almost to the top of the list for highest tax.
Nothing I'm proud of....................

 

Yeah, that last part's the killer. 59.6 cpg plus the 4.75% local sales tax (Erie County) = bending us over in the Buffalo area.

 

My last flight to England was over double what I used to pay for flights a few years ago, but for that journey it's the only choice. For journeys within the US, my 'zone of intolerance' has steadily been expanding over the years. Never again will I fly from Buffalo to Cleveland, as I once did, but Toledo, Newark and Detroit fell victim to poor service, delays and high cost (last quote to get to Detroit last year, admittedly next day, was nearly $900), and recently Chicago, after spending more time in the airport than it would take to drive home. I've spent two nights in Detroit (broken steering gear, and a delayed incoming flight from somewhere unrelated to my journey), Newark (why do they land at an airport that is already closed, when others nearby are still operating?)
Despite the cost of fuel, driving is still much cheaper than mass transport. This shouldn't be the case.