As much as the weather has had a hard time figuring out what to do with itself, the gas prices in Ohio are doing pretty much the same thing.
Unfortunately this is not new for Athens County residents as, historically, they have always had higher than average gas prices.
“I think it has to do with where it’s being transported,” said Carol Willoughby, manager of PA’s Sure Stop at 8942 United Ln., located near State Route 33.
She added that the price could go either way and it usually doesn’t depend on the season.
The lowest price for gas in Athens County Wednesday afternoon, $3.37, was still higher than the U.S. and Ohio averages, $3.28 and $3.31 respectively, according to Gasbuddy.com, a website that uses user-reported data to gauge local and national gas price trends.
However, the U.S. average price for a gallon of regular gas has been slightly falling. The price for a gallon of regular was $3.30 on Jan. 20, which is three cents less than the week before and two cents cheaper than last year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration.
“Some areas may have higher prices due to gasoline taxes, but most likely due to healthy competition,” said Patrick DeHaan, Senior Petroleum Analyst from Gasbuddy.com. “There may be less gas stations, less owner diversity.”
“Gasoline prices in Ohio have been on a bit of a roller coaster the last month,” he added, “There hasn’t really been a steady trend in gasoline prices in Ohio that’s lasted more than a week or so. Prices fluctuate often in Ohio, and tend to rise and fall faster than the national average.”
When asked for the possibility of the cold weather’s effect on gas prices, DeHaan said it all depends on the gasoline demand. “Prices tend to be among their lowest for the year in the coldest months when gasoline demand is at its lowest.”
“When the gas price fluctuates like this, it affects me and my friends a great deal,” said Ivan Velez, a senior majoring in Communication Studies. “When we travel, we don’t just go to Nelsonville. We go from Columbus to Michigan and everywhere.”
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