Suburban Propane

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I paid $2.0924/Gal for 64 gallons on September 12, 2006; $2.4384/Gal for 233 gallons on February 28, 2007; $3.6270/Gal for 64 gallons on January 02, 2008 and $4.5400/Gal for 43 gallons on May 04, 2009. The representative at Suburban Propane said their prices are higher because of their safety program and that mine was high because I didn?t use enough, but because I had been a customer for so long they would lower it to $2.60/Gal which was what they charged those who owned their own tanks. I reminded them about the energy crisis in this State and in this Nation. The fact that they would have charged me almost half the price to use twice the energy didn?t seem to make much of an impression on them. Throughout the heating season of October through March, we try to do our part to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by keeping the thermostat down, wearing sweaters or sweatshirts, etc. Even though data for residential and wholesale prices for heating oil and propane are only collected during the heating season, this charge still seems excessive and more importantly it seems to encourage wasteful consumption. The price of propane is influenced mainly by the cost of crude oil because it competes mostly with crude oil-based fuels, but this unreasonable rate hike does not even reflect the current crude oil market trend and appears to be nothing more than opportunistic price gouging. Their price should not change because I?m a long time customer, but instead it should be determined by the fair market value of their competition. The low score on Responsiveness was for slow response for a reported leak which was fixed and the fuel replaced at their current going rate, again resulting in unnecessary waste. It is not meant to reflect unfavorably on their drivers in the field who are conscientious professionals. It is their Professionalism that merited the ?A? rating. Suburban Propane?s shameful practice not only encourages waste of a critical resource that has been found to have a significantly less detrimental effect on global warming, but unfairly reduces the discretionary income needed to restore consumer confidence and spending to aid in our economic recovery.