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Gas $4.52 Spurs Driving Cuts, Bus Ridership Spike

5/20/2026

40 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Gas Prices Surge

Regular gasoline reached $4.52 per gallon on May 18, 2026, up from about $3 before the Iran war.
An April 28 Ipsos poll found 44% of Americans reduced driving because of the high fuel costs.
Bangor, Maine, bus ridership rose 21% since January, with growth across all ages.
Chicago’s CityPoint Community Church distributed $5,000 in $25 gas cards, handing out more than 70 cards.

Summary

Indiana DOT Funds EV Chargers

Indiana Department of Transportation will spend nearly $100 million to build an electric-vehicle charging network on the state’s interstates.
Edmunds analyst Joseph Yoon said EV interest rose to 25 % from 20 %, matching the 2022 peak when gas hit $5.03 per gallon.
Ford F-150 Lightning owner John Shassberger, who drives 250 miles weekly, spent under $30 on electricity in May by charging at 11 cents per kilowatt-hour at night.

Summary

Gas Prices Boost

Iseki’s 2002-2011 study of ten cities found that a 10 percent gasoline price rise lifted light-rail ridership 1.2 percent and bus ridership 0.8 percent.
Gasoline above $4 per gallon spurred a 9.3 percent light-rail increase, versus a 1.2 percent rise after $3.
Researchers say only better-funded, reliable transit—under one-third of federal funding since 1956—can overcome drivers’ psychological hurdle despite 87 percent of 2017 trips being by car.

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Gas Prices Surge

Regular gasoline reached $4.52 per gallon on May 18, 2026, up from about $3 before the Iran war.
An April 28 Ipsos poll found 44% of Americans reduced driving because of the high fuel costs.
Bangor, Maine, bus ridership rose 21% since January, with growth across all ages.
Chicago’s CityPoint Community Church distributed $5,000 in $25 gas cards, handing out more than 70 cards.

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