Micheal Alahouzos
Staff Writer
Charlie’s Union, the 76 station on Pacific Coast Highway and Webb Way, passed the once-unthinkable $3 mark for regular unleaded gas Friday, March 18, charging $3.05 per gallon at self-serve pumps.
Charlie’s Union is part of a growing situation in Malibu according to Gaspricewatch.com, a Web site that archives the nation’s highest and lowest gas prices. It lists Malibu as the most expensive gallon in the country. The nation’s average on Wednesday was $2.13 — nearly $1 below Malibu’s average of $2.95.
Students and faculty alike are furious with the high prices.
The price difference from nearby stations, said the owner of Charlie’s Union, who would not disclose his last name, is primarily because his station has the highest rent in Malibu.
The owner said he blames the media for viciously singling out his station, when other stations in California, namely in the Santa Barbara area, have charged almost as much as he has. The Associated Press issued a story about Charlie’s Union, which made national headlines last week.
Michael Bower professor of Public Relations was heard from coast to coast on Monday talking about the nation’s rising gas prices on CBS News.
“The countries selling us oil can charge what they want because we have no recourse but to buy and consume their oil,” Bower said.
Bower also said he has slept inside his office on rare occasions rather than make an expensive, three-hour commute to his home in Orange County.
Since making national news, the 76 Union station in Malibu has lowered its price of regular unleaded fuel Tuesday from $3.05 to $2.47 per gallon. Despite the price drop, the 76’s “High Performance” premium fuel now costs drivers $3.38 for each gallon at a full-service pump.
The self-serve-only Chevron station on the same block on PCH charges $2.63 for premium-grade fuel, 91 octane – a 75 cent per gallon difference.
Put into perspective, a Chevrolet Suburban, with its 42-gallon fuel tank, can cost upwards of $142 to fill at the full-service pumps of the 76 Union station, while costing $110 at the Chevron’s self-serve pumps.
“It’s become ridiculous,” said junior Chadron Edwards. “I couldn’t for the life of me foresee a joyride costing so much money.”
03-24-2005