Maritime gas prices ride high as road trip season shifts into new gear
Gas prices at over two dollars a litre may be too much for some drivers to ignore this summer.
A pair of surveys suggest Canadians will compare any road trip ideas with rising fuel costs, and curb some travel plans as a result.
"That two dollar a litre mark really is the price where people start to think differently about their road trips," says Kaitlynn Furse of the Canadian Automobile Association.
While some Maritime drivers are leveling their travel expectations on this first official weekend of summer, others expect to keep their foot on the pedal.
However, it may be a different pedal.
Pierrettee and Roger Doiron of Saint John are planning a trip to Prince Edward Island next week, but are gauging how to keep the transportation costs on budget
"It’s a lot of money, two dollars a litre," says Pierrettee. "So we have to think about the cheapest way to go."
That may include switching their regular wheels to a couple of tour bikes.
"It gets much better fuel mileage than say a car or something," says Roger. "The problem with that is if the weather is bad we’ll have to go spend more money on a car."
No matter the vehicle driven, it will be difficult for drivers to detour paying more.
For example, a road trip from Moncton to Montreal this summer, depending on the size of vehicle, may have drivers spending about $300 more compared to previous years.
Travel restrictions at the height of the pandemic familiarized people with "staycation" attractions nearby. For some, that appears to be a good option for limiting fuel consumption this summer too.
"I plan on staying in the province," says Vonda Johnson. "I won’t be travelling outside the province. New Brunswick is a beautiful place. When we were in lockdown I saw places I didn’t even know existed in my own home province."
Tips from CAA to avoid undue fuel costs include turning off the ignition for any wait longer than a stoplight, using cruise control when possible, and remembering the fuel economy for many vehicles peak at speeds of between 80-90 km/h.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.