Gasoline rationing followed the rationing of rubber products, such as tires, as the Japanese had cut off the supply route of the rubber from the East Indies, during World War II.
Voluntary gas rationing had become a failure that was obvious by April 1942.
The main idea of gasoline rationing, was to conserve rubber.
May 15, 1942 gasoline rationing began in 17 eastern U.S. states, in order to help the war effort. December 02, 1942 mandatory gasoline rationing was required in all states.
To get the gasoline ration classification and ration stamps, you had to certify to a local board that you needed gas and owned no more than five tires.
Ration stamps were issued and pasted to an automobile windshield. A family's gasoline allotment was determined by the class of stamp displayed.
The class of stamp was determined by the primary use of the car. Then the family received their coupon book and allotment of stickers.
Franklin D. Roosevelt called on all Americans to donate their old rubber to the war effort, when 90% of American rubber imports from the Dutch East Indies, were cut off by the Japanese.
Roosevelt requested old tires, raincoats, garden hoses, rubber gloves, and anything else rubber to keep the U.S military machine rolling. New tires were scarce, as were retreads, most vehicle owners just patched their tires to keep the car on the road.
Class A - Black - 3 Gallons Per Week
Non Essential Travel, these were not allowed any pleasure travel for a year.
Class B - Green - 8 Gallons Per Week
Work Use, factory wokers, traveling salesmen, those who had jobs that were supporting the war effort.
Class C - Red
Essential Workers, police, doctors, letter carriers
Gasoline tanker truck hijackings became a common threat to truck drivers, especially those driving in rural areas to make deliveries to ranches and farms. To protect themselves, some truckers carried firearms.
The black market flourished, as did more honorable social networking such as carpooling and donating car bumpers for military steel. The speed limit, labeled
The Victory Speed, was 35mph. weeks, almost a year.
