Photo Of The Day: Ghost Town Gas Station

by Anna Brones on

The road trip: that iconic form of travel that lets us explore at a different pace. If you have ever crossed the country on four wheels, you know the role that gas stations play, both for keeping your vehicle going, and for strong black coffee and snacks. If you are lucky, there’s even a good diner attached. But as more and more people fly to complete their trips, is the iconic middle-of-nowhere gas station a thing of the past?

For today’s Photo of the Day Flickr user smallscreen gives us a great look at a piece of Americana, a ghost-like gas station in Chloride, Arizona, that’s reminiscent of a time where gas was 35 cents a gallon and people were cruising in old Chevrolets.

Do you have an interesting look into your travels? Add your photos to the Gadling Flickr pool to be chosen for the Photo of the Day feature.

[Photo Credit: smallscreen]

Desperate TSA looking for new colleagues at gas stations – promises free X-Ray vision and benefits

by Scott Carmichael on

After advertising on pizza boxes, the TSA at Reagan National Airport have now resorted to advertising at D.C. area gas stations. In their ad for part time security officers, they promise a career where “x-ray vision and federal benefits come standard”. Perhaps I’m overreacting, but using x-ray screening equipment as a job perk seems rather tacky.

I’m also surprised that four months after the pizza box ads, the TSA is still having a hard time filling positions in a country where unemployment is such a hot issue.

On the official government jobs site, 100’s of positions are listed with the TSA – but the entry level position of Transportation Security Officer is listed at $29,131.00 – $43,697.00 /year – and that starting salary may have something to do with the trouble finding enough candidates. Still, if you are out of work and you fit the requirements, the TSA would love you to come and help them enjoy their x-ray perk!

Calculate your fuel cost – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

An essential ingredient for any road trip is fuel. While you know the cost of your accommodations, you may not always know how much gas will cost for the length of your road trip.

There are websites to help you determine that cost, however. For example, AAA‘s Fuel Cost Calculator allows you to calculate the fuel cost of your trip. Using drop-down menus, you select your starting city, destination and vehicle. The calculator determines mileage, gallons of fuel used and total fuel cost. Not all cities and destinations are listed, but you can get a general idea.

At GasBuddy.com, you can search for the best gas prices in each city or region you’re traveling through. Site visitors report what they paid for fuel at individual gas stations. You’ll learn the lowest and highest prices reported in the past 36 hours. Armed with this information, you can budget your fantastic road trip.

[Photo: Flickr | Borderfilms (Doug)]

Road tripping to be easier this summer with lower gas prices

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Fill your tank, cut down a redwood and kick a polar bear in the ‘nads … gas is likely to stay cheap this summer! So, let the environment be damned, load up the Hummer and take the longest road trip of your life.

The Energy Information Administration has great news for motorists: gas is expected to hang around an average of $2.23 a gallon this summer (more if you live in New York or California, I imagine). Peak driving season – late in the summer – could see a rise to more than $2.30, but it’s still a far cry from last summer’s insanity … when the average gallon would set you back $3.81.

What’s behind this embarrassment of fossil fuel riches? A barrel of crude is likely to cost about a third of what it did last summer ($53 versus $147), and U.S. crude oil production is supposed to come back up – by 440,000 barrels a day.

But, it pays to have a backup plan. Howard Gruenspecht, acting administrator of the EIA, concedes that an early broader economic recovery could lead to more pain at the pump, though you’d probably be able to afford it.

An EIA spokesman was on hand to confirm, “We’re not in the crystal ball business.” If they were, they probably wouldn’t be talking about fuel prices anyway.

Photo of the Day (6/2/07)

by Adrienne Wilson on


I like yellow, but this gas station found in Lima, Peru was painted in too much yellow. The opening lyrics to Sesame Street popped into my head thinking it might be Big Bird’s house and those poor guys in black and yellow… I’m usually one for the company and team colors, but again my eyes are screaming Peru! Way to be on the lookout caffeineguy.