High Cost of Gasoline in Wichita

[ShockTalk]

Gas prices go up, gas prices go down.....usually every few days. Even in a stable crude oil market, the gasoline prices drop a cent or two every couple of days, then after about 10 days shoot back up. It's the same most everywhere. I travel into/through Oklahoma and Arkansas 4-6 times a year and its the same story. Generally, gas prices are always cheaper in OK because of their lower state gasoline tax. In Arkansas, the prices are pretty much the same as Wichita. State gasoline tax for Kansas is 43 cents, Arkansas 40, and Oklahoma 35, so under normal times one can expect to maybe save .05 to .10 a gallon in Tulsa.

About 4 weeks ago I noticed a change. We left to go to my wife's family reunion in Oklahoma about the time gas prices here in Wichita had hit a recent low. I believe they had gotten down to around $3.19 a gallon and yes, prices were slightly less as we went through Tulsa. However, after about 4 days, we returned and I noticed that Tulsa had gone back up 2 or 3 cents. The gas station on the turnpike south of Wichita was at $3.20 and to my slight surprise, Wichita was mostly at $3.29. I figured it had just done one of those jumps back up.

Now we move to last week. We left to take a trip to Arkansas and by that time Wichita's prices were now $3.39. Tulsa was at $3.19, Ft Smith, AR around $3.15 and the highest price I saw was in rural Arkansas and in the lake area we were at .... $3.39. That was a first in the 10-12 years we've been going to that lake that the gasoline price wasn't higher (by quite a bit) than Wichita. In fact, it was $3.31 at the station I filled the boat up at. Same story on the way back and we returned to prices still generally at $3.39 here on the east side.

Why the rant? I think we are now paying for the "rewards" programs that Dillon's/Kwik Shop has had for some time and now that Quik Trip has started...just about 3-4 weeks ago. By the way, Quik Trip does not have this program in Tulsa. Remember, there is only .08 difference from us and OK and only .03 with Arkansas in regards to state tax.

Here are some current prices from lowest to highest. The first price is the lowest in the area, the second is the average, and any third price is at Quik Trip:

Little Rock, AR... 2.89/3.15
Fort Smith, AR... 3.04/3.21
Tulsa, OK ..........3.10/3.24/3.19
Lenexa, KS.........3.13/3.26
Salina, KS..........3.24/3.33
Wichita, KS........3.31/3.37/3.39

A couple of states that have higher gas state tax:

Madison, WI......3.12/3.37 (.08 higher)
Peoria, IL..........3.37/3.46 (.19 higher)

So, if you're not taking advantage of one of the reward programs, thank you for paying more for your gas so I can pay less with the programs (at least when I have rewards available).

[SB Shock]

Capture2.jpg

U.S. prices

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

Thats not an accurate map. Gas prices here in Baton Rouge are $3.29. I was in Lafayette ( little over an hour West) yesterday and they were $3.35 there.

[SB Shock]

Thats not an accurate map. Gas prices here in Baton Rouge are $3.29. I was in Lafayette ( little over an hour West) yesterday and they were $3.35 there.

Here is the Baton Rouge and Lafayette detailed views - look accurate to me based on what your reporting.
baton.jpglafy.jpg

[ShockTalk]

@SB Shock: probably has you on this one @Downtown Shocker Brown:.

Baton Rouge, LA Regular Gas Price
Average: $3.19	Lowest: $3.08	Highest: $3.40

From gaspricewatch.com.

[ShockTalk]

I do have a question for @SB Shock:, however. What does your map have to do with I posted, but confirm the present?

I was talking about what I had experienced on the same roads over a 10-12 year period that now has changed more than I had ever seen during that time. We, in Wichita, are paying much more than I had ever seen when compared to Tulsa, Fort Smith, and rural Arkansas. Most of that time, Wichita was generally a few cents lower or higher than Fort Smith and within .05-.10 of Tulsa. It was not usual to find the gas price around the lake area we visit to average .10-.20 cents higher than Wichita. Now I bought it .08 cheaper.

[SB Shock]

wichita prices, with the crooks circled. Interestingly this is probably the most uniform the prices have been across Wichita.

wichita.jpg

[Downtown Shocker Brown]

@SB Shock: probably has you on this one @Downtown Shocker Brown:.

Baton Rouge, LA Regular Gas Price
Average: $3.19	Lowest: $3.08	Highest: $3.40

From gaspricewatch.com.

Sweet. How do I pump gas for that price?? Point me in the right direction.

Forgive me if I base my observation on what I pay to put gas in my tank vs. what a website says the prices are.

[ShockTalk]

OK!

http://www.gaspricewatch.com/LA-louisiana/Baton-Rouge/gas-prices/page-1/2.htm

"There are 120 Regular gas price reports in the past 5 days in Baton Rouge, LA. The average Regular gas price in Baton Rouge, LA is $3.19, which is $0.23 lower than U.S. national average Regular gas price $3.42.

The lowest Regular gas price is $3.08 of Murphy USA located at 9340 Cortana Place, Baton Rouge, LA 70815.

The highest Regular gas price is $3.4 of Chevron located at 7930 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70809."

[ShockTalk]

wichita prices, with the crooks circled. Interestingly this is probably the most uniform the prices have been across Wichita.

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Dillon's/Kwik Shop and Quik Trip are the "leaders". Most others do not go down in price unless the leaders go down. Now, with both of them having Reward programs, they do not want, or maybe cannot afford, to see the gas prices drop in Wichita. Therefore, you have the very uniform pricing. I am suggesting that if neither or one of the two leaders did not have the Reward program, the overall prices would be lower and less uniform here. I believe the prices are artificially high.

[SB Shock]

Dillon's/Kwik Shop and Quik Trip are the "leaders". Most others do not go down in price unless the leaders go down. Now, with both of them having Reward programs, they do not want, or maybe cannot afford, to see the gas prices drop in Wichita. Therefore, you have the very uniform pricing. I am suggesting that if neither or one of the two leaders did not have the Reward program, the overall prices would be lower and less uniform here. I believe the prices are artificially high.

could be. I haven't seen it this uniform across the city.

[Shocker85]

We went to Portland, OR in late May and at one point paid $4.59 per gallon. When filling the car before returning it to the airport we paid $4.39 per gallon. Upon return to Wichita the same day, gas was exactly $1.00 less in Wichita $3.39 per gallon. Talk about artificial influences on gas prices; by law, Oregon does not allow self-service gas pumping. You have to let some guy pump gas for you. How much per gallon does that cost? During the spring, there were also two refinery shutdowns on the west coast and gas from California to Washington was well over $4.00 per gallon.

I do not doubt the rewards programs cost us in Wichita. If the leaders QT, Dillons are forced to pad their per-gallon profit due to the rewards programs, the others don't have to go lower and can reap the extra profit. The question is, do QT and Dillons corner enough of the market to negate the extra profits for the others.

We may see a return to cash-only prices for gas soon. Visa and Mastercard have recently lost large judgements which will permit merchants to charge swipe fees. We'll see what that does as well.

--'85.

[Wu du Nord]

Cry babies.

Just a hair under $9 per gallon, last time I bothered to do the conversion math.

[pinstripers]

Other than the middle east and venezuela, I'll bet we are the cheapest in the world............by a lot.

[ShockTalk]

Cry babies.

Just a hair under $9 per gallon, last time I bothered to do the conversion math.

Other than the middle east and venezuela, I'll bet we are the cheapest in the world............by a lot.

Well, looks like @Wu du Nord: suckered you in @pinstripers:. My post and this thread have nothing to do with the price of gasoline around the world, California, or any other part of the US other than the central US where distribution prices should be fairly close and the biggest differences should be because of each state's gas tax. At least @Shocker85: was talking about how other factors, such as no self-service allowed in Oregon, can effect prices and not just blurting out that we're cheaper than Oregon.

That was my point, other factors. In the case here in Wichita, it is a promotion/advertising twist that appears to be a good thing. Is it? At what point does a "Rewards" program really reward most who try to utilize it and the adverse effect it has on all those who do not even bother with it, if it also creates a higher base cost to all gasoline sold at all stations throught the area.