Metropolitan Gas Cost Vulnerability and the Role of Regional Attributes

The U.S. transportation sector continues to provide a variety of challenges to policy makers as a climate issue, an energy issue, and an economic issue. Transportation activity generates nearly 30% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and nearly the same share of energy consumption. Consumers spend, on average, more than $1,400 per year on transportation fuel, an amount that can vary substantially as fuel prices change. All of these are issues that confront policy makers and need solutions. This report presents a first-of-its-kind ranking of gasoline cost vulnerability, or the measure of the economic impact of transportation on typical residents of metropolitan regions.