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Community Corner

Where's the Cheapest Gas in Northbrook?

With gasoline prices up 15 to 20 cents a gallon after last week's oil spill in Romeoville, reporter Jacob Hurwith hits the streets to find out where drivers will feel the least pinch at the pump.

Summer's end typically means falling gasoline prices. But with the recent oil spill in Romeoville, gas has spiked 15 to 20 cents per gallon.

As early as last week, Northbrook residents could find regular gas for $2.83 a gallon. Now, residents will have to settle for closer to $3. The lowest price in the area is $2.99 a gallon for regular gasoline, which can be found at the Citgo at Dundee Road and Skokie Boulevard, the Marathon at Dundee and Waukegan roads and the Mobil at Shermer Avenue and Waukegan Road. The highest price is at the Mobil at Dundee and Landwehr roads, where regular goes for $3.11 per gallon.

The pinch is on, particularly for commuters like Howard Goldberg. The Northbrook resident works at Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago, where he owns A and G Clothing, and drives about 350 miles each week to and from work, he said. With his vehicle's 14-gallon gas tank, the increase will cost Goldberg an extra $2.10 to $2.80 a week.

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"I am not budgeting that close that it will change anything I do," Goldberg said. "However, I am not happy about it. Money is too tight right now."

Luckily for School District 225, the influx of gas prices has minimal, if any, affect on the bus system. According to communications director Karen Geddeis, the school district has a contract with First Student for bus service that includes a nonescalating gas clause, so no matter the price, the district pays the same amount.

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First Student serves 42 states in the U.S. and drives an average of 6 million students a day, according to spokeswoman Maureen Richmond. Despite the increase in gasoline, the school bus contractor isn't feeling the effect, she said.

"Since we are buying in bulk, we get a better price based on the economy of scale," Richmond said. "It is still going to have an impact, but doesn't impact us as much as a person in a passenger vehicle."

Even though First Student isn't feeling the pinch, the same cannot be said for local taxi companies.

"It puts a damper on the drivers making the money," said Carrie Hudson, owner of American Dependable Taxi and Limo in Northbrook. "Our drivers fill up once a day. It does add up."

At Dependable Taxi and Limo, gasoline costs are shared by drivers and the company. With tanks as large as 15 gallons, an additional $0.15 would cost her company and drivers an extra $15.75 a week, $63 each month or $756 over a year's time.

Goldberg, who does not have to fill his tank every day, pointed out that gas prices are just one of the economic woes hitting businesses and consumers today.

"I feel the economy is getting worse, not better, and this is part of the problem," he said. "So many details to be aware of and the rise in gas prices seem to be one of the ongoing problems we all face."  

Click here for a list of gas prices in Northbrook.

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