S ome people who have business in the states of New York or Pennsylvania may consider flying as passengers aboard airplanes into Newark International Airport and renting a car to save money for various reasons. Perhaps the airfare to Newark was less expensive than to New York or Philadelphia. Maybe renting a car was cheaper in New Jersey than in New York or Pennsylvania…
…but one cost was almost certain to be significantly less expensive: saving dollars per tankful of gasoline, thanks to the low price per gallon of gasoline.
Gasoline Tax to Increase 23 Cents Per Gallon in New Jersey
Although gasoline will still be less expensive overall in New Jersey compared to neighboring states after Tuesday, November 1, 2016, you will not enjoy much of a savings, as the gasoline tax is expected to increase by a whopping 23 cents per gallon after that date.
“It’s the first time since 1988 that New Jersey’s gas tax is being raised”, according to this article written by for CNBC. “The change means the state will have the sixth-highest gas tax in the nation, up from 49th before. It would remain lower than neighboring New York and Pennsylvania.”
The legislation was signed by Chris Christie — who is the current governor of New Jersey — after the state legislature passed it to help pay for transportation projects towards a $16 billion transportation funding program which is expected to last for eight years.
Self-Service Option is Not Permitted in New Jersey
Interestingly, the self-service option is not permitted in New Jersey and other certain jurisdictions — such as the state of Oregon — where an attendant must fill the fuel tank. Although you never need to leave your vehicle — which can especially be convenient during inclement weather; and also where you do not have to guess on which side the cap to the fuel tank is located even though there is a simple indication which you can use without guessing — you are at the mercy of the attendant.
I remember one time where filling up the tank of the rental vehicle in New Jersey consumed at least 30 minutes of my time because of a line to wait for the next pump; the slowness and poor service of the attendants; and an error where one of them handed me the wrong credit card and receipt after waiting for them to finally bring it to me.
When I am in New Jersey or Oregon, I am diligent about ensuring that the attendant pumps the grade of fuel which is the lowest cost, as I usually do not need premium fuel in the vehicles I rent; and I watch the pump closely to ensure that no “games” are being played where I could be overcharged for fuel. Quick math which ensures that all is well is when the pump displays ten gallons — meaning that if the fuel is $3.99.9 per gallon, the pump should register $39.99 at ten gallons. I suppose I am overdoing it when I even check the fuel pumps when I fill the tank of the rental vehicle myself — but it is peace of mind for me that I am getting the fuel for which I paid.
Summary
The price of a gallon of gasoline in New Jersey was consistently amongst the lowest — if not the lowest — in the United States; but after Tuesday, November 1, 2016, that fact will no longer be true.
At the time which this article was written, a gallon of gasoline costs $1.66 at a fuel station in Woodbridge, which is the lowest price for a gallon of gasoline in the state. Assuming that there are no changes in gasoline prices over the next 16 days, that same gallon will cost $1.89 — which is still considerably less expensive than the $1.99 gasoline costs per gallon in Newark in Delaware; the $2.13 gasoline costs per gallon in New Rochelle in New York; and the $2.17 gasoline costs per gallon in Trooper, Pennsylvania; and those are the lowest prices in those neighboring states to New Jersey respectively…
…but there are many motorists who will still think anyway that the good times and days of low gasoline prices have ended.
Photograph ©2015 by Brian Cohen.
