‘The Pulse’ on fuel prices: MoCo motorists adjust budgets as they get squeezed at the gas pump

Drivers across Montgomery County are feeling the pain at the pump, and many say they believe there’s no end in sight for the rising gas prices.

In this week’s episode of The Pulse, we report from a commuting hub in downtown Bethesda as gas prices across Maryland continue climbing to record highs. The average cost to drivers of regular gasoline fuel is nearly $4.50 per gallon across the state, while mid-grade and premium gas prices surpass $5 in some areas, according to the Automobile Club.

To understand how residents are coping, The Pulse news team turned to drivers filling up at a local gas stations, where frustrations boiled over during conversations with roving reporter Maryam Shahzad.

“The budget’s busted,” one frustrated motorist who shared only his first name, “Nate,” told Shahzad while filing his tank up.

Another resident, who also only wanted to be referred to by her first name, “Ashley,” said the rising cost of fuel is forcing painful “this or that” decisions as she adjusts her budget and makes a conscious decision to drive less frequently.

“I have a lot of doctor’s appointments that I have to drive for. But, you know, today I can only do $20 because that’s what’s in my budget for gas… been pretty frustrating time ,” Ashley explained.

Watch the full episode of The Pulse below:

Montgomery County’s electric vehicle expert Brian Booher,  joined the show to talk alternative commuting options, including electric vehicles, e-bikes and plug-in scooters.

“The county has a program called the EV Purchasing Co-op dealership incentive purchasing program where every month we share deals,” said Booher. “There are also a lot of good deals on used electric vehicles. They might have low mileage and you can save a lot of money.” He added that there are more than 100 EV charging ports at public parking garages across the county, including six fast chargers.

Courtesy of AAA

Booher, a senior planning specialist for Zero Emissions Vehicles at the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection, also didn’t rule out the world’s oldest carbon-free communing method during these tough economic times.

“You can also just walk,” he said, adding that the county is upgrading its walkable paths and bus-to-rail systems for pedestrians.

With the sustainably built Purple Line set to begin operating in 2027, Montgomery County’s Climate Change Officer Sarah Kogel-Smucker joined the show ahead of a Friday budget meeting to discuss long-term planning.

“The county has some of the most ambitious climate change goals in the entire country and transportation is a big of that because 42% of the county’s overall greenhouse gas emissions — the climate change pollution that’s really affecting our communities — comes from transportation,” said Kogel-Smucker. “So the county is making some big changes in our own transit, in our fleet, in our busses, to move toward zero emission vehicles.”

There are more than 400 electric busses in Montgomery County’s fleet with a goal of have zero carbon emissions from public transport vehicles by 2035, according to Kogel-Smucker.