Road to cheap gas
Cell phone GPS device helps reporter map out the lowest price at the pump
Cell phone GPS device helps reporter map out the lowest price at the pump

By Jim Stafford

Published: June 28, 2008

Technology promised me fuel for my vehicle at $3.679 per gallon Friday if I followed the female voice of a GPS-equipped wireless phone to 164 Street in far north Oklahoma City.

I was misled by a penny per gallon.

When I arrived at the Murphy USA station on the parking lot of a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, the price of regular unleaded was $3.689, a penny more than promised on the AT&T Fuel Finder site I found on the Samsung Blackjack smart phone in my hand.

That 1 cent per-gallon difference cost me an extra 14 cents for the fill-up.

I asked the station attendant when the price had changed. She said it was $3.679 when she closed up on Thursday night.

I was about 12 hours too late.

The fueling trip was inspired by the Fuel Finder feature on the Samsung phone, which was a loaner from AT&T I have been testing for a few days.

The phone offers a fairly easy-to-navigate GPS menu that offers a variety of search options such as food/coffee, hotels/motels, gas station and gas by price.

I chose gas by price because I was looking for "cheap gas,” which is a relative term when gas is in the $4-per-gallon range.

When I asked the phone to find cheap gas nearest my current location, it gave me 18 options, beginning with two Murphy USA stations that promised it at $3.679. I chose the Edmond location and let the GPS lead me there.

The trip was flawless, although the "fastest route” option I chose led me onto the Kilpatrick Turnpike, which was fast but not free.

AT&T spokeswoman Natasha Collins said the Fuel Finder service uses prices provided by the Oil Price Information Service.

"We've seen a 62 percent increase in Fuel Finder (use) since January alone,” Collins said.

Oil Price Information Service is the same service that provides gas prices found on the AAA Web site, said AAA spokesman Chuck Mai.

I didn't squawk too much that the station located by the Fuel Finder site came in at a penny per gallon over the promised price. The 7-Eleven across the street was advertising gas at $3.75 per gallon.

"We're seeing quite a range of gas prices across the city, probably as much as 20 cents a gallon,” Mai said. "It just amazes me that there is that range of prices and that more people don't frequent those cheap prices stations. Convenience plays a role where individuals shop.”

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