Get there from here economically: Gas prices make mapmakers merry

Gasoline prices have companies and consumers pulling out the trusty map.

Sales of atlases and maps are up thanks to motorists and employees who want to better plan their routes for work and errands, the president of an East Valley map company said.

"We’ve seen customers come in who are at least thinking about planning their trips better and trying to economize, a lot of companies that are doing delivery work, companies that do service work and are traveling to businesses or homes, " said Jim Willinger, Wide World of Maps president.

"They’re just trying to find a way to get more done with the least amount of trips."

He said pump-shocked drivers are ordering everything from folded maps and desk maps to street atlases, wall maps and map software from his stores in Mesa and Scottsdale.

"We’re selling, as a percentage, more wall maps now than we did this same time last year," Willinger said, adding that most are used by business and government.

"In some cases, they’re trying to rearrange their delivery areas so they’re more efficient if they’re a delivery company. If they’re a service company, there setting up zones and areas they call on so people don’t overlap and end up backtracking, or two people going to the same part of town an hour apart, that kind of thing."

Consumers are interested in Phoenix, Tucson and Pinal County atlases, called the Yellow Ones, published by Phoenix Mapping Service, the mapmaking division of Wide World of Maps. With the growth of the metro area and all the new streets, many businesses and individuals are realizing it’s time to get new maps, Willinger said.

Large companies with numerous vehicles including UPS, FedEx, Arizona Public Service, Salt River Project, Qwest and SuperShuttle are regular customers, Willinger said.

The company creates custom maps for APS that show the boundaries of its central offices, windowless buildings where the Qwest’s connections come together.

Along with global positioning systems, technicians use the maps to ensure there is no crisscrossing when traveling to jobs, said Jeff Mirasola, Qwest spokesman.

Arizona gas prices have started leveling off after rocketing up 40 cents over the past week, the largest one-week increase ever recorded by AAA Arizona. After peaking at $3.131 Wednesday, the average Arizona price of regular unleaded dropped threetenths of a cent to $3.128 per gallon Thursday.

In the East Valley, gas was selling for an average of $3.11 a gallon, up more than 37 cents from the week before. Scottsdale motorists were paying $3.17 a gallon on average, 42 cents a gallon more compared to the week before. The national average is $3.03 per gallon.

AAA said the price decreases may seem insignificant, but they are a sign the state’s gasoline supplies are "being rebuilt and stability is returning to the market."

"Amid allegations of gouging, government officials are beginning their inquiries, but frankly there’s scant evidence of it on a local level," AAA said in its weekly fuel report.

"It’s likely that most Arizona retailers and jobbers, who must buy from the major oil companies, saw very small — or even negative — profit margins last week as they struggled to keep up with rapidly ascending wholesale prices. As to the major oil companies, any number of inquiries and hearings are scheduled to investigate their profits during this crisis."