The Price of Diesel

[surfcam]

I guess I should have added. Average U.S. cost. I'm not real a stats guy. Maybe someone can make more sense out of it from this Canadian website.

http://www.fin.gc.ca/toce/2006/gas_tax-e.html

[82vdub]

From what I read, federal taxes are $.10 per litre, an average provincial tax of $.14 per litre, plus a 6% GST tax on the retail price of fuel (GST includes taxes in it's overall tax), plus other taxes (see below). Assuming the fuel is $1/ litre plus the two taxes above ($1.24), that equates to $.07 in GST tax, for a total fuel sales price of $1.31 per litre.

From this simple number (and assuming fuel untaxed cost is $1/litre), the Canadian taxes on the fuel are 31% of the cost of fuel at the pump. This number will vary as the GST tax is a percentage, not a fixed cost like the two other taxes. Then, there are other local taxes that apparently are added on top of all this (see below). Compare this to the USA's total tax of $.35 to $.45 per gallon, which is approximately 10% tax rate. The US does have a theme of taxing something at a lower rate and let it be used a lot as compared to the tax theme in Europe and other countries that thinks to tax at a high rate and consume less of that product.

Other taxes added to the cost of fuel:

* Special fuel surtaxes are levied in the regions of Victoria, Vancouver and Montréal.

* In New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador, the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax (HST) is levied on the final price of fuel at the pump (excluding GST).

* In Québec, the Québec Sales Tax (QST) is levied on the final price of fuel at the pump (including GST).

[91 NA]

2 weeks ago I drove from PA to Long Island.
Filled up in PA at 3.99

It was the first time I checked my mileage on a long trip, and calculated out to 50 mpg, with 60 wt oil, MMO, and DieselKleen added to the fuel.

That was steady state, non-stop at 55-65 mph for the first 175 miles.
'91 NA w/AWY, 185/60/14 tires at 36 PSI

On arriving at Long Island, the price was 4.25 that week.

I came home (same tank, without filling in NY) on Thursday, and went up again on Sunday to find the price was now 4.399.

I don't have to go back till next week, so it should be interesting to see where its climbed by then..
Mark

[hagar]

Cost of Diesel fuel ? ----this is NO April foolery.

Olde hagar got the answers -----who ,where and what to blame ? ---my answer you will not like IMHO.

WE are ALL to blame ----- price passed 4 dollars US per Gallon US. this morning.

Main problem ? a very infectious bug ---Greedious maximus Amerikanus.

Will gladly explain in DETAIL.---on request.

hagar.

[82vdub]

WE are ALL to blame

I agree, but think that some are more to blame than others. I would certainly like to pay less for fuel, but I don't have any problem with what it costs. I'm an open economy mindset person - fuel costs what it costs for the reasons the market dictates it costs this much. I can go to another transportation medium, if I was really bothered by fuel costs.

[VW Jon]

The way I see it, is that with the price of everything going up due to it being shipped by diesel truck, is like taking a 30 to 50 percent cut in pay from what you were making, and it's only going to get worse.

[A1-2-A3]

The problem is when the price of fuel goes to 1.25 a litre for fuel the government gets more money themselves from the tax money cause they get a percentage fo the price of fuel. They get millions in excess revenue.
We are all really to blame but where I sit right here in Sask. with a population just over 1 million people and sitting ontop oilfields and refineries right here the supply demand ratio is the other way around lots of fuel here.
To the comment about Canada and using lots of enery per capita well do the math and figure out that we have extremely long harsh winters and we don't live in igloos and we need to survive so the heaters are on. Also the summers are hot as heck as well here and the electrical bills are 300 a month in the summer to keep the house at 75F. +40cel to -40cel temps. So what should we do move to a igloo.
The question we have to ask is what will do do about it. Can we make more ways to save money by staying away from the pumps?

[A1-2-A3]

Oh if you have a problem with me whining then maybe we should not talk about fuel prices what did you expect people to talk about how its great that they are projecting a increase to 1.50 a litre by this summer?

[82vdub]

I will say that in the past three weeks since I got my fuel oil tanks topped off, I've been researching renewable energy sources for powering and heating my house. Unfortunately, most of what I've researched I don't have a house of sufficient size or live where it's practical (and it's very expensive), but I have identified one system that I may look closer at installing. I've also begun building a solar garage heater for my garage (since it's essentially heated in the winter) and will play with this and learn as I go.

[Ziptar]

Filled up in Kittery, Maine Saturday for $4.26 a gallon.....

While it was hardly noticed by most yesterday as it was poorly organized, look for more protests from truckers in the future.
AP: Traffic Jam: Truckers Protest Fuel Costs

From what I have been hearing on the CB lately allot of independent truckers are parking their rigs as they can't afford to operate them, many have said they are loosing money.

82vdub I know what you mean. Having just moved to Massachusetts the wife and I have been looking for a place to rent and fuel oil costs were heavy on our minds. We were down to 2 places, a 3000 sqft house with no utilities or an 1800 sqft apartment with heat and hot water included. We really liked the house but, the twin oil fill pipes sticking out of the side of the front stoop gave me the willies. I could just hear them saying to me ala "Little Shop of Horrors"....

"Feed me Ziptar....... FEEEEEEEED MEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!"

We talked about it and finally decided with fuel prices going the way they are we didn't want to take a risk on having of having our budget blown by heating oil prices. We opted for the apartment, it was $150 a month cheaper and we didn't have to keep it oiled. yeah it's smaller, and no yard for the kids, but with heat included and the rent locked in writing for 2 years, we figured it was the best way to sit this whole mess out.

[surfcam]

There have been some zero energy design homes built in Alberta. But unfortunately most home being built are SUV homes. I think it will take a life time to change building codes and practices. The Canadian Gov't is have some ZED demonstration homes built. There's just no political or public will to change. It will change when it become a crisis. Five families will move into McMansion.

[Pu241]

Oh if you have a problem with me whining then maybe we should not talk about fuel prices what did you expect people to talk about how its great that they are projecting a increase to 1.50 a litre by this summer?

No, don't have a problem about you whining!
I get used to it!
Just don't need you and Hagar to be laying the blame for high fuel prices soley on the U.S.!
Blame your poor government policies.
Your country could easily have, through your own admission, provide its people with reasonably priced fuel and sell the rest at a nice profit to other countries.

Hagar, lets hear more about "Main problem ? a very infectious bug ---Greedious maximus Amerikanus."
I'am sure the greedy american known as Jack, who owns this site, and lets us use it for free might be interested.
I know I'd be interested in how the U.S. can manage to manipulate global world prices?
When our government can barely come to a decision to help itself.
So details please Hager!

[Op-Ivy]

Oh if you have a problem with me whining then maybe we should not talk about fuel prices what did you expect people to talk about how its great that they are projecting a increase to 1.50 a litre by this summer?

No, don't have a problem about you whining!
I get used to it!
Just don't need you and Hagar to be laying the blame for high fuel prices soley on the U.S.!
Blame your poor government policies.
Your country could easily have, through your own admission, provide its people with reasonably priced fuel and sell the rest at a nice profit to other countries.

Hagar, lets hear more about "Main problem ? a very infectious bug ---Greedious maximus Amerikanus."
I'am sure the greedy american known as Jack, who owns this site, and lets us use it for free might be interested.
I know I'd be interested in how the U.S. can manage to manipulate global world prices?
When our government can barely come to a dicision to help itself.
So details please Hager!

He isn't at all saying that Americans are greedy. He's referring to people in upper management positions for major oil corporations. They are the ones driving the oil prices up.

[82vdub]

He isn't at all saying that Americans are greedy. He's referring to people in upper management positions for major oil corporations. They are the ones driving the oil prices up.

Really? So the fact that the environmentalists have stopped the construction of new refineries in the US and any thought of drilling for oil on US land or just offshore of US land and the fact that the oil companies are forced to buy oil on the open market at market prices isn't a factor? Add in the huge economic expansion of China and western India into the demand for fuel and blame it on the oil companies? I don't think so. They are providing a valuable commodity to the world. Add in that the governement of Venezuela just took control of private oil companies business and say that the oil companies don't have any risks. There's huge risks in a global market and global economy.

You can blame the oil companies all you want, but the fact is that their profits are right around $.06 net profit for each $1.00 of sales. I believe this has been consistant over decades. The reason why you're reading about their record profits is their record sales in dollars, due in part by high crude oil prices and the falling value of the dollar. I don't hear anyone complaining that Coke and Pepsi make over $.20 per $1 of sales and their "record" profits for selling sugar water and refined tap water. It's not a record in overall dollar figures to make the major news, but it's a damn nice percentage profit, IMO.

If you have a 401k plan, pension plan, or some mutual fund plan, chances are you have money invested in "big oil". 40%+ of "big oil" stock is directly or indirectly owned by us, the little guy. Tired of the high cost of fuel? Buy some big oil stock, sell your car, grow your own food, don't buy any products made from the byproduct of refineries and start walking. The fact is that you can't live without oil. It's so engrained into our modern lifestyle that it will be nearly impossible to eliminate it.

ok, I'm done whining now.

[Pu241]

He isn't at all saying that Americans are greedy. He's referring to people in upper management positions for major oil corporations. They are the ones driving the oil prices up.

How do you get that out of his post?

"Cost of Diesel fuel ? ----this is NO April foolery.
Olde hagar got the answers -----who ,where and what to blame ? ---my answer you will not like IMHO.
WE are ALL to blame ----- price passed 4 dollars US per Gallon US. this morning.
Main problem ? a very infectious bug ---Greedious maximus Amerikanus.
Will gladly explain in DETAIL.---on request.
hagar."

I see nothing about "upper management of major oil corporations", I see:"Greedious maximus Amerikanus"

A general, disguised statment condeming a nation and its 300 million people.
Some of us have done our best to minimize our energy use.
If only for the personal cost benifit of not spending money on fuel needlessly.
I could almost agree if the statment was directed toward our pathetic excuse for a government, certainly no more forward thinking than your own and in many regards more corrupt.
This has been a long time coming.
We were all warned in the early seventies, but most people and certainly all our governments (excepting Brazil) chose not to make it a priority.
It has already been said above, "we have only ourselves to blame."

Lets not either of us speak for Hagar, he can well explain his post, if so desires.