Cherokee County consumers are seeking relief from the pinch of rising gas prices, and some may have found a silver lining.

Local prices have shot up to an average of $3.22 a gallon for regular unleaded gas, according to gasbuddy.com. The cost still remains lower than the state average of $3.24 and national average of $3.28, according to auto group AAA.

A year ago, the state average was $2.40, and the national average $2.70. A month ago, the state average was $2.92 and the national average $2.97.

The recent sharp increase can be attributed to several complicated causes, said AAA spokesman Gregg Laskoski. They include the recent economic downturn in the United States, the high price of crude oil and the switch to a clearer-burning summer blend of gasoline that's more expensive to produce, he said.

"This is uncharted territory for American consumers," Laskoski said. "This extreme increase in price for crude reflects investments in commodities markets."

With the dollar falling and credit markets in crisis, commodities like oil and gold, which also is hitting historic highs, are a refuge for investors, who flock to solid investments, driving up the price due to basic supply-and-demand principles, he said.

Once the price of a barrel of oil increases, said Laskoski, so, too, will the retail gas price.

Also contributing to the crude oil bull market is an expected decrease in a key interest rate by the Federal Reserve on Tuesday, which is driving more investors to the commodities market.

"Without this speculation, the price of a barrel of oil is approximately $60," said Laskoski. On Friday, crude was trading at record and near-record levels of $110 a barrel, according to Bloomberg.com.

Laskoski said the "bubble" eventually would burst, driving prices down to more manageable levels.

"But right now, no one is able to tell with certainty when that will be," he said. "And with the summer driving season about to start, these are critical months for American consumers."

David York of Canton and his wife, Debra, took note of the increasing gas prices and time they were spending in their cars apart from one another while commuting to work.

So, after the holidays were over, the two did a trial run in their own carpool. They now have joined the statewide Clean Air Campaign and will be receiving a cash incentive in the coming months of $3 per day if they continue to do so.

"From a financial standpoint, I calculate we save about $7 per day that we carpool, and I get to spend more time with my wife" York said. "I mean, we're only filling the tank of one car. Depending on how often we carpool per week, there's a very large potential savings."

Lindsay Durfee of the Clean Air Campaign said 15 Cherokee residents currently are involved in its carpooling incentive program.

"Our weakened economy already has some families cutting corners, and increasing gas prices only put further strain on shrinking budgets," she said. "If you fill up at $3.22 per gallon, and you ride with just one other person, that's like paying $1.61."

York said although he and his wife have had to alter their schedules to carpool, and that because of meetings and late work assignments, they cannot share a ride every day, they will definitely continue to carpool.

"We're doing everything we can to conserve gas, and we're going to stick this out," he said. "We're consolidating trips in the evenings on our way home from work, and we're forgoing those spontaneous trips to buy things."

ntheberge@cherokeetribune.com

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