Why do we buy gas in Poplar Bluff? (Kansas City, St. Louis: house, YMCA)

[STLCardsBlues1989]

Look at this gas map:

http://www.missourigasprices.com/

Poplar Bluff is always the highest or nearly the highest in the state it seems. I understand they have travel costs to get fuel there, but surrounding counties are not priced that high, even more rural counties, where more travel might be required.

Why is Poplar Bluff gas so expensive? Because the gas station owners can afford to set it that way? Poplar Bluff gas is that same gas everyone else gets. But they jack up the price and nobody does anything about it.

We live in Carter County and we usually fill up before we leave the house, but for those who live and work in Butler county they really have no choice.

Does Butler County just have higher taxes or something?

$3.28 in Springfield and $3.59 in Poplar Bluff? $3.29 in St. Louis? $3.36 in Kansas City?
This state's gas prices make no sense. How can they be so much more across the state?

[ShadowCaver]

lol - consider yourself lucky... even the highest MO price for the most part is lower than what many/most other states pay. For example, take a look at one of my favourite maps [same source as what you have above too ] pertaining to gas prices: USA National Gas Temperature Map Here where I be in IN, lowest I've seen recently [today] is $3.69 - which is a relative bargain compared to some other states [CA, OR, WA, NY, etc.]. One reason why IN is so bad is the method they use here for taxing - its done by %, instead of flat rate per gallon. lol, when I venture into OH on occasion, you betcha that fill that tank all the way to the brim!

BTW, did anyone see that promo that Big River Telephone did in Cape? seMissourian.com: Blog - Brian Blackwell: Poplar Bluff, Mo., enjoys lowest gas prices in the nation for a short while on Tuesday

But to answer your question, it many times makes very little sense to us commoners as to why its priced the way it is at various locales...

[storey13]

I have a similar issue here in Nashville. I live in south Nashville and the gas by my house is $3.54, but I go to the YMCA in Smyrna, TN 3 or 4 times a week and the gas their is $3.27. It is about a 15 minute drive in non rush hour time to get there. Plus if I spend $100 in groceries at Kroger, I get 10 cents off/gallon. I remember when I was a kid that Missouri had Krogers, but I think they got bought out by someone else or something happen with the union and they left the st. louis area.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

We have Kroger.

But I don't know about their gas prices.

[aragx6]

Well the gas station down the street from me is $4.29, so you all are lucky LOL!

But I agree that it is weird that it's higher in PB than surrounding areas...

[storey13]

Originally Posted by aragx6

Well the gas station down the street from me is $4.29, so you all are lucky LOL!

But I agree that it is weird that it's higher in PB than surrounding areas...

Aragx6, I used to live in Oak Park and one thing I don't miss about Chicagoland is the gas prices!

[aragx6]

I know right? It's been a big adjustment for me moving from a city/state with some of the lowest gas prices to a city/state with the highest!!

[firebll31]

Carthage tends to be about 10 cents a gallon cheaper than Joplin. I think its because many people live in Carthage but work in Joplin, so they have 2 choices, whereas most Joplin folks won't drive to Carthage unless there is a much bigger price disparity.

[smithmi]

Kroger in the Bluff has the 3 cent discount for gas.

[jsherman9901]

Originally Posted by STLCardsBlues1989

$3.28 in Springfield and $3.59 in Poplar Bluff? $3.29 in St. Louis? $3.36 in Kansas City?
This state's gas prices make no sense. How can they be so much more across the state?

It all boils down to greed. I just don't understand why people will gouge their friends and neighbors, especially in a small town where everybody knows everybody and everything. About the only thing you can do is vote with your dollars when possible.