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May 22, 2008 5:34 pm US/Eastern
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Timonium Gas Station Gives Out Free Gas
TIMONIUM, Md. (WJZ) ―
With record high gas prices, many drivers are looking for a little relief at the pump.
Kelly McPherson reports at the BP gas station in Timonium it looked like some type of gas shortage, as cars lined up for free gas cards.
The line went all the way down the block. The free gas line opened around 11 a.m. Friday, but people were in line before the sun came out.
The gas station worked quickly to push people through because there is no shortage on the people who need help filling their tank.
It was organized chaos as people waited to get gift cards for free gas. Two hundred people got a $40 gift certificate for free gas.
"Well, I got here like six in the morning. That's what it took to be number two in line," said Charles Brown from Parkville.
The number one spot holder is from South Carolina and she is extending her vacation to drive to the Eastern Shore.
"It's worth it. First of all, I did not believe it. I said I can't believe this. I'm going to check this out," said Mattie Johnson from Charleston, S.C.
The city's Department Of Public Works says it's making its own internal changes.
Two hundred police and sheriff's cars have been switched out for the smaller Impalas, which have better gas mileage.
Solid waste and road crew routes are being reworked to use less gas.
"You still have to reach every single household on a given day, but how do we make sure we are being most efficient at the number of households that we are collecting," said David Brown, City DPW Director.
The director says an extra $1 million will helped to cover a bigger fuel bill, but they still need to tweak how city vehicles run.
There's no guarantee for the city or any of us that there will be a break in the rise of crude oil prices.
"We're in a historical period of time now where 23 of the 26 last years we peak on gasoline prices before May 26, so we may get a break. The problem is, I think we'll get more of a pressure inside that bubble when we get into the latter stages of the hurricane season" said Tom Kloza, gas and oil analyst.
Mayor Dixon is looking at a no-idling policy that would require some city workers to turn off the engine if they're sitting in the car idling. That will take a few weeks because it's still in discussion. It would not apply to all city police cars.
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