Hunter motorists had reason to celebrate this week as the state government launched its new platform to give people easy access to petrol prices across the state.
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The government’s Fuel Check website went live on Wednesday, which allowed motorists to search a suburb, town or postcode and be presented with a list of local petrol prices in order from cheapest to most expensive.
Petrol station operators will have to update their prices on the website within 15 minutes of changing the cost of fuel at their premises, under the new regulations.
This means the information motorists get when they use the data should be accurate.
The government had the foresight to make the raw data freely available to third party organisations to provide their own petrol price platforms.
And that’s what NRMA has done.
A day after the government made Fuel Check live, the peak motoring body launched an update for its My NRMA smart phone and tablet application, which pinpoints where you are and shows you the price of petrol nearby, on an interactive map.
NRMA president Kyle Loades says he believes the decision to make price comparison easy for motorists takes power away from oil companies and gives it to consumers.
He expects buying patterns will change and hopes there will be unprecedented downward pressure on prices across the state.
According to Mr Loades, motorists could save as much as $500 a year by consistently buying their fuel at the cheapest outlets – that’s nothing to scoff at.
This is fantastic news for Maitland residents – many of whom drive substantial distances either to Newcastle or into the valley to work each day.
But it begs the question: what’s taken so long?
If forcing service station operators to provide real-time price data was going to help stop price gouging that allegedly happens across the state – particularly in the lead-up to public holidays – it’s a wonder steps weren’t taken to provide that information for motorists sooner.
Whether you download the NRMA’s application, or use the government’s Fuel Check website, make the effort to keep an eye on where the Hunter’s cheapest petrol is being sold and fill up your vehicle there.