With so many students driving their own cars and teachers having long commutes, gas prices can be a real concern. However, people are seeing savings as gas prices have dropped to the lowest prices since January 2011.

“It can impact me ten bucks on a tank,” robotics teacher Brian Lidington said. “I go 120 miles a day if I just go back and forth to school, so it’s significant for me. I’m happy.”

The lower prices are partly a result of an increase in domestic production. Shale-drilling has helped to boost domestic production, decreasing the amount of imports from OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) to half of what is was in 2008.

“I think people are producing more and so the prices have gone down,” Lidington said.

The lower price of gas goes beyond driving as other transportation costs are also dropping.

“The decrease in the cost of oil has resulted in a reduction of the price of gas, both for the consumer as well as for airlines,” travel agent Ann Dennis said.

With the change in price, the prefered method of travel may be changing.

“While the cost of gas can be seen quickly at the gas pump, it has a lag effect in the cost of jet fuel,” Dennis said. “So, until airlines feel the lower cost of one of their largest expenses (jet fuel) it has become less expensive to travel shorter distances (within 3 hours) by car than by air.”