ATLANTA
When Americans need to fill their gas tanks during road trips, they are likely to choose stations where they can get in and out quickly—and are less concerned with the brand of gas or food and beverage options, according to research by YP, North America's largest local search, media and advertising company.
The research, based on consumer survey findings and analysis of searches via the YP – Local Search & Gas Prices app, also found schedule flexibility and sight-seeing are the two most appealing benefits of taking a road trip versus flying.
YP's research also found that Americans view oil companies and the U.S. government as having the most influence on gas prices; Boston and Austin lead other U.S. cities in preparing for Memorial Day road trips; and mobile searches for gas prices peak in August, suggesting more Americans are taking road trips later in the summer.
Other key findings include:
When choosing a gas station during trips, easy entry and exit trump brand of fuel and amenities
Besides price, being able to conveniently get in and out of a station matters most in determining where road trippers purchase gas (39 percent). Factors less often cited in the consumer survey as most important include the food and beverage options available at a station (21 percent), the brand of gasoline sold (19 percent) and the appearance of the station itself (13 percent).
Control over travel schedule and sight-seeing are lead benefits of road trips over flying
When surveyed to compare driving versus flying, Americans find greater flexibility in schedule (35 percent) and sight-seeing (33 percent) as the two most appealing benefits of taking a trip by automobile, besides price, instead of by plane. These responses were followed by the ability to easily take more stuff with you (11 percent), avoiding crowds and security lines (9 percent), and the ability to more easily take pets (7 percent).
Top U.S. cities preparing for summer road trips
Boston saw the largest increase in gas price searches between the week of Memorial Day 2012 and the preceding two weeks than any other city (54 percent), followed by Seattle (13 percent), Atlanta (11 percent) and Chicago (10 percent), according to data from mobile searches on the YP – Local Search & Gas Prices app. During that same period, many Americans looked to get their cars ready to hit the road, and Austin led the cities seeing the highest increases in searches for auto repair businesses (243 percent), followed by Atlanta (153 percent), Cincinnati (122 percent), Sacramento (78 percent) and Colorado Springs (70 percent).
When do people pay the most attention to gas prices?
According to data from mobile searches on the YP – Local Search & Gas Prices app, the highest number of searches for nearby gas prices during summer 2012 took place in August (22 percent), and the top five days seeing the highest volume of gas price searches all came in August and September, suggesting that more Americans are taking road trips in the second half of the summer closer to back-to-school season. August was followed by July (21 percent), then June and September (both 20 percent), and May (17 percent) in volume of gas price searches. August 28, 2012 marked the single highest daily volume of gas price searches during the summer. To date in 2013, more searches for gas prices occur on Friday than any other day of the week, and Sunday sees the lowest number of gas price searches. The survey found most Americans (61 percent) purchase gas when their gas meter approaches the quarter of a tank mark, and one out of every five Americans typically do not buy gas until the "low fuel" indicator light comes on.
Americans see oil companies and U.S. government as heaviest influencers of gas prices
Petroleum companies are viewed by the largest number of Americans (30 percent) as holding the strings when it comes to gas prices, followed closely by the U.S. government (28 percent), the consumer survey revealed. Few Americans (7 percent) believe consumers of gas in the U.S. have the most influence, and only 2 percent believe consumer demand in other countries has the most influence. College graduates are more likely to say that petroleum companies have the most influence than those without a college degree (40 percent versus 27 percent), who are more likely to say that the U.S. government has the most influence.
Data was produced from YP – Local Search & Gas Prices app and a May 2013 omnibus survey, a national survey of 1,000 men and women ages 18 and older.
