Want Cheaper Gas? Head to New Milford

Area residents are pumping it up in New Milford.

Why? According to Connecticutgasprices.com, New Milford has some of the least expensive gas in the entire state.

At $3.99 a gallon for regular unleaded, the Citgo station at 61 Danbury Road and the Mercury station at 222 Danbury Road are tied for the fifth least expensive gas anywhere in Connecticut, trailing only four other locations that range in price for $3.95 to $3.98 per gallon.

"We go by the market and the market's been lower lately," said Citgo Store Manager Asim (who declined to provide his last name). "Most of the time we try to compete with the other gas stations on the street. If they go up in price, we go up in price. If they go down in price, we go down in price."

The Citgo and Mercury stations are all of 1.5 miles along what could be considered Thrifty Fuel Alley, a cluster of gas stations along Danbury Road that have some of the state's lowest prices. Both stations are run by larger dealers, which Asim said set the prices. But he added that store managers and owners will frequently have discussions with dealers about price points in their areas, stressing how much customers respond to even slight discounts compared to other gas stations.

"The prices definitely attract customers," Asim said. "Even a difference of one penny will draw people to one station over another."

So are people in New Milford aware of the deals they're getting?

"I had no idea," said motorist Scott, a 28-year-old New Milford resident, when told he was fueling up with some of the most affordable gas in the state. "I drive by here every day on the way to work and usually stop to buy my gas here. It's about twenty cents more in Danbury, so it's worth it to get it here."

Scott added that he wouldn't drive "more than a couple miles" out of his way to get less expensive gas and that he has no brand loyalty.

"If I see two gas stations across the street from each other, I'll pick whichever one is cheaper," he said.

Another station in New Milford, the Citgo at 520 Danbury Road, is independently owned and still manages to be the third least expensive station in the area at $4.03 per gallon for regular unleaded. Manager Rao Naeem said his focus is on serving his customers, even if it means less of a profit.

"We are very competitive and we're really just helping the people," Naeem said. "We're making less margin of profit. We're not greedy. We just try our best. As long as we don't have to close the doors, you know?"

Naeem echoed Scott and Asim's sentiments, saying that motorists will go wherever fuel is cheapest, even if the difference is only a penny.

"Of course, everybody responds to a penny these days," Naeem said. "How much you can afford to charge depends on how much rent you're paying, the expenses you have. Sometimes, you're only making 3, 4, 5 cents a gallon. But if you're trying to make 20 cents a gallon, nobody is going to come."