Nov 11, 2008 5:39 pm US/Eastern
Falling Gas Prices Bring Smiles To Oxford Drivers
OXFORD (WBZ) ―
Falling gas prices, attributed to fading world-wide energy demand, appear to be fueling a slight increase in some businesses. That's what Ron Sanders found in the central Massachusetts town of Oxford where gas dipped below $2 a gallon yesterday and dropped even farther today.
We found gas station owner Ucef Charmchi directing traffic at Cumberland Farms on Route 20 in Oxford under a sign that read $1.99 for regular.
Charmchi says he's been dropping his prices gradually since the election. When he went south of $2 on Monday, so did several other stations along Route 20. "I'm the leader of them. You know what I mean? When I go, they follow me."
And when he dropped his price another 3 cents this afternoon, that led to self-service with a smile at the 16 pumps of his gas station.
"I think this is marvelous," said Terry Bergeron of Worcester who plans to resume trips to Cape Cod more often.
The self-service with a smile fueled the thought of discretionary spending, "getting some things that you not just need but some things that you maybe want, you know?" said Peter Depasquale of Charlton.
"It brings a smile to my face," said Arnie Villatico whose restaurant, Periwinkles, is accross the street from the $1.96 gas.
He can't put a percentage on it but says business has gone up a little over the past week as gas prices have come down. The clerk at Honey Dew Donuts, a few doors down, said the lower gas prices are pumping up business there too.
Usef Charmchi said he's doing so much business that he had a delivery of 12,000 gallons at midnight. He had another 12,000 gallons delivered at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, which is about a 60 to 65 percent increase, he says, over last month.
AAA reports regular gas prices in four states have fallen below the $2 mark: Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Oklahoma. The average price in Massachusetts right now is $2.25.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
