Gas Prices are Slowly Climbing in the Crossroads
It's Memorial Day weekend and people are going to be hitting the road for some big-time 3-day weekend fun. With all the extra traveling, get ready to fill up the car but don't be too taken aback by the number on the receipt. According to AAA, gas prices are expected to hit a record-high this Memorial Day weekend.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy talked to ABC news and explained the surge in prices, “Americans are getting back to normal; you couldn’t drive to go see an MLB game, but now you can; you couldn’t drive to go see a NHL game, and now you can. There’s a lot more things for Americans to do now that the economy’s reopening."
In Texas, the state average for gas is $2.72, which is slightly lower than the national average of $3.04. My wallet hurts just writing about all of this. However, Victoria is fortunate enough to have an even lower city average of $2.66 but, that is a $1.06 increase from last year's average.
So what's with the increase? "With the increase in travel demand, gas prices are going to be expensive no matter where you fill up, so plan ahead," said AAA spokesperson Jeanette McGee. There was also a lack of truck drivers and that could play a role in the price increase. However, the simple economics of supply and demand could explain the price increase.
This should really not come as too much of a surprise to many. Every year it's almost a rule of thumb, gas prices increase during the summertime, it's nothing new. While the increase is slightly higher this year, let's hope it dies down in the winter season like the previous years.