NJ Gas Prices Surge Past $4 a Gallon — Here’s What Commuters Are Spending

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey drivers returning to work after Labor Day are getting an expensive reminder every time they pull into a gas station.

Regular gasoline averaged about $4.27 a gallon statewide Sunday, according to AAA, up from roughly $3.17 a year ago. Prices vary considerably by station, and reports of prices around $4.59 have pushed the cost of some fill-ups well beyond $60.

• New Jersey regular gas is averaging about $1.10 more per gallon than it did a year ago.
• A 40-mile-per-day commuter driving a 25-mpg vehicle is spending roughly $148 a month on work-trip gasoline at $4.27 a gallon.
• Drivers paying $4.59 can spend about $238 a month commuting 60 miles each workday — before adding a single weekend or personal trip.

What a New Jersey Commute Costs at $4.59 a Gallon

The difference can sound small when measured one gallon at a time.

For someone driving to work five days a week, it adds up quickly.

Consider three New Jersey commuters traveling a total of 20, 40 or 60 miles each workday. Assuming a vehicle gets 25 miles per gallon, here’s what their work commute alone costs at $4.59 per gallon:

Daily commute	Weekly miles	Weekly gas cost	Monthly gas cost
20 miles	100	$18.36	about $80
40 miles	200	$36.72	about $159
60 miles	300	$55.08	about $239

The monthly calculation assumes an average 4.33 weeks per month.

And that’s just getting to work and back.

It doesn’t include trips to school, the supermarket, medical appointments, restaurants, children’s activities or weekend travel.

For a two-car household, the increase can become especially noticeable.

Here’s How Much More Drivers Are Paying Than Last Year

The year-over-year comparison shows why the latest prices sting.

AAA put New Jersey regular gasoline at about $3.17 per gallon a year ago. Sunday’s average was roughly $4.27, an increase of about $1.10 per gallon.

At a station charging $4.59, the difference compared with last year’s statewide average is about $1.42 for every gallon pumped.

For the same hypothetical commuters getting 25 mpg, that works out to:

Daily commute	Added weekly cost	Added monthly cost
20 miles	about $5.68	about $25
40 miles	about $11.36	about $49
60 miles	about $17.04	about $74

That means a driver with a 60-mile daily commute could be spending roughly $74 more every month just getting to and from work than the same commute would have cost at last year’s statewide average.

Over a full year of commuting, that’s approaching $900 in additional fuel expense.

A driver with a pickup, large SUV or older vehicle getting 18 or 20 mpg would feel an even bigger hit.

Gas Prices Aren’t the Same Everywhere in New Jersey

There is another frustration for drivers: geography matters.

AAA’s New Jersey data showed regular gasoline averaging roughly $4.27 statewide over the Labor Day weekend, but regional averages ranged from around $4.21 to more than $4.30.

Among the latest available regional averages:

New Jersey area	Regular gas
Warren County	about $4.21
Burlington-Camden-Gloucester area	about $4.23
Cumberland County/Vineland area	about $4.23
Mercer County/Trenton area	about $4.24
Atlantic County	about $4.25
Bergen-Passaic area	about $4.25
Morris-Sussex area	about $4.26
Middlesex-Somerset-Hunterdon area	about $4.26
Monmouth-Ocean area	about $4.28
Essex-Hudson-Union/Newark area	about $4.29
Cape May County	about $4.34

Those are regional averages rather than guaranteed pump prices. Individual stations can be substantially higher or lower, which explains why motorists can encounter prices approaching $4.59 even when the statewide average remains below that figure.

Cape May has recently been among the more expensive areas, while Warren County has been closer to the low end.

For Shore commuters, the Monmouth-Ocean average of roughly $4.28 means a 15-gallon fill-up costs about $64.

A $60 Fill-Up Is Becoming Normal Again

For many drivers, the price displayed on the pump matters less than the number showing when the tank finally clicks off.

At $4.27 per gallon, 10 gallons costs $42.70.

A 15-gallon fill-up costs $64.05.

Put 20 gallons into a large SUV or pickup and the bill reaches $85.40.

At $4.59 per gallon, those same fill-ups climb to $45.90, $68.85 and $91.80.

That’s where the pocketbook impact becomes difficult to ignore.

Drivers don’t necessarily have the option of cutting their commute because gasoline becomes more expensive. Someone living in Ocean County and working farther north still has to get to the office Monday morning.

Parents still have school pickups. Contractors still need their trucks. Delivery drivers still cover their routes.

A commuter can skip a recreational drive. Skipping work isn’t quite as practical.

New Jersey Gas Is Up Sharply From August

The latest increase has also happened quickly.

AAA reported New Jersey regular gasoline at about $4.05 a gallon one month ago. By Sunday, it had climbed to approximately $4.27.

One week ago, the average was about $4.09.

That’s an increase of roughly 18 cents in seven days.

The national average was about $4.15 Sunday, leaving New Jersey motorists paying roughly 12 cents more per gallon than drivers nationwide.

Premium is considerably more painful.

AAA put New Jersey premium gasoline at approximately $5.09 per gallon, while diesel was approaching $5.87.

For drivers whose vehicles require premium fuel, the $5 gallon has already returned.

What a Full Month Behind the Wheel Really Costs

Commuting calculations also show why fuel economy matters more as prices rise.

Take someone traveling 60 miles every workday.

At 25 mpg and $4.59 per gallon, that driver spends roughly $239 a month on work commuting.

If the vehicle gets only 20 mpg, the same commute costs about $298.

At 30 mpg, it falls to about $199.

That’s nearly a $100 monthly difference between a 20-mpg vehicle and a 30-mpg vehicle covering exactly the same distance.

For New Jersey households already budgeting for housing, groceries, insurance and tolls, gasoline has once again become a line item capable of moving the monthly budget.

And unlike a summer road trip, the commute starts again tomorrow morning.

New Jersey’s statewide average is not $4.59 per gallon.
AAA’s statewide average is about $4.27 for regular gasoline, although individual stations can charge substantially more and some motorists are seeing prices around $4.59.

A 40-mile daily commute can now consume about $159 a month in gas.
That’s based on paying $4.59 per gallon, driving five workdays per week and averaging 25 mpg. It covers the work commute only.

Long-distance commuters are feeling the increase most.
A 60-mile-per-day commuter paying $4.59 is spending roughly $239 monthly at 25 mpg, about $74 more than the same mileage at last year’s statewide average.

Sources: AAA Fuel Prices; Gas Buddy