Squires, 18, attends San Diego City College. He wants to transfer to the University of San Diego. He wants to study medicine. More immediately, though, he wants to volunteer at a hospital so he can start preparing for a future in medicine.

But he can't do that.


Squires' summer plans have changed due to the rapidly-rising cost of gasoline. He can't afford to make the trek to volunteer at the hospital. Instead, he stays close to home, working a part-time job because it's what he has to do now.

“Gas prices – it's getting outrageous,” Squires said. “Right now, I've got a minimum-wage job. I'm trying to balance that (income) between school and gas, so I can rarely take the car out.”

Squires isn't alone in making hard choices about transportation costs. With gas prices rapidly approaching $5 a gallon, teenagers are finding that their best-laid plans of summer – for work and for play – are changing in order to keep their gas expenses down.