$3.49 at a Richmond Exxon.
$3.47 at a Chesterfield Wawa.
And $3.45 at a Midlothian Gulf station.
No matter where you live in Central Virginia - you're going to feel the pain at the pump.
"That's outrageous," said Lona Wright.
"It's a little high. But it's gone up like this in the past. So, it doesn't surprise me," said Ashley Zehrt.
According to AAA, gas prices have jumped to double digits from $3.34 to $3.45 a gallon in over the last week.
The reason?
"This is the expected Spring peak that we see year after year. A lot of that has to do with the Seasonal Refinery maintenance that's been going on," said Tammy Gobert, AAA MID-ATLANTIC.
In fact, Tammy Gobert says over the past 30 days - gas prices in the Commonwealth have gone up to 30 cents a gallon.
And she says you can expect to see prices climb even higher over the next week or two.
So, there's really no good time to fill up.
"It's a supply and demand always has a factor into gas prices. Not necessarily a day of the week," said Gobert.
That's tough for drivers - trying to find some kind of relief.
TC: 11:46:31-36
<Calvin Walker/CONCERNED DRIVER: "A lot of times it's a waste of time. So, if you have to get somewhere just go to the first stop."
And despite the high gas prices - Virginia is still the 10th lowest in the country to buy fuel.
Don't tell that to some frustrated drivers.
"I have to shop around now because that's just terrible," said Wright.
Below is a release from AAA MID-ATLANTIC:
Pump prices leaped by double digits in Richmond, Virginia just in the nick of time for upcoming spring break travel plans. The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Richmond rose this week to $3.45 per gallon when just last week it was $3.34 per gallon. Moreover, the news doesn’t get any better for Norfolk and Virginia Beach motorists as the price per gallon jumped nine cents from $3.38 per gallon last week to $3.47 per gallon.
“The recent spike in gas prices in Richmond could not come at a more inconvenient time for travelers as spring break is right around the corner,” said Tammy R. Gobert, Public Affairs Specialist for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “It’s a tough situation for Richmond drivers; however, AAA has been monitoring the situation and will continue to keep a close eye in the days ahead,” added Gobert.
The recent upswings in gas prices can at times be attributed to local supply and demand issues and are usually temporary. Although the recent rise in gas prices may be a bit agonizing, Richmond drivers are spared some of the more extreme gas prices in the country. Virginia still holds steady as the 10th lowest in the country to buy gasoline unlike its neighbors to the north, the District of Columbia is painfully ranked 6th highest in the country to buy gasoline.
Today
Change since Yesterday
(04/04/2014)
Last Month
Last Year
Change since last week
(03/28/2014)
National
$3.57
No change
$3.46
$3.64
Up 3 cents
Virginia
$3.42
No change
$3.25
$3.55
Up 7 cents
Charlottesville
$3.36
Up 2 cents
$3.23
$3.42
Up 8 cents
Norfolk
$3.47
No change
$3.25
$3.55
Up 9 cents
Richmond
$3.45
No change
$3.24
$3.52
Up 11 cents
Roanoke
$3.30
No change
$3.23
$3.42
Up 4 cents
Tennessee is the only state that borders Virginia that claimed lower gas prices this week, until today ($3.42 per gallon). Other bordering states such as North Carolina, Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia all boast higher gas prices by nine cents per gallon or higher. Likewise, the District of Columbia supersedes the national average by 19 cents per gallon.
States Bordering VA & DC
Average Price Per Gallon
Virginia <http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/VAavg.asp>;
$3.42
Tennessee
$3.42
North Carolina <http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/NCavg.asp>;
$3.51
Kentucky <http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/KYavg.asp>;
$3.59
Maryland <http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/MDavg.asp>;
$3.60
West Virginia <http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/WVavg.asp>;
$3.61
District of Columbia <http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/DCavg.asp>;
$3.76
AAA Mid-Atlantic offers the following tips to drivers to help reduce unnecessary fuel costs:
· Check tire pressure with a gauge regularly. Under-inflated tires are a safety hazard and can cut fuel economy by as much as 2 percent per pound of pressure below the recommended level.
· Change the oil regularly as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
· Check and replace air filters. Clogged filters can cause an increase in fuel consumption.
· Don’t overload your vehicle with holiday packages. Increased weight in your vehicle can reduce your MPG.
· Drive responsibly. According to The U.S. Department of Energy, aggressive driving wastes gas and can lower your gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on highways<http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp>; and five percent<http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp>; around town.
AAA Mid-Atlantic serves nearly 846,000 members in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is the nation’s fifth largest auto club with over3.7 million members in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. It provides a wide range of personal insurance, travel, financial and automotive services through its 50-plus retail branches, regional operations centers, and the Internet. For more information on AAA Mid-Atlantic, please visit our web site at http://www.AAA.com<;http://www.aaa.com/>;. Persons wanting to comment on this issue can go to AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Community pages at http://www.AAA.com/community and post comments. The organization is anxious to hear from travelers with their thoughts on this subject and others.
# # #
