SAN ANTONIO – Spring hasn’t even sprung, but gas prices have. Local drivers have seen an average 16-cent jump at the pump in just the past week, marking the biggest one-week surge since Hurricane Harvey.
The sudden increase is putting the squeeze on Lyft driver Sonia Scales.
“I’m having to spend my hard-earned money pretty much on gas,” she said while filling her tank.
A spot check around town found fuel as high as $2.19 a gallon. The average is $2.08, according to Gasbuddy.com.
As gas hurtled past the $2 mark, it’s increasingly difficult to find fuel for less than that.
The constant ups and downs leave some drivers frustrated.
“Just trying to figure out why,” said motorist Henry Cochran. “I figure they just do it just to do it. “
Oil experts say tighter global supplies have pushed crude prices up and gas prices have followed suit.
“The latest increases are surely not the last,” said Patrick DeHaan, chief analyst at Gasbuddy.com, citing higher crude prices and seasonal refinery maintenance and switches to more expensive summer blends.
“Expect prices to continue moving higher until April or May, when average prices may stand 25 to 45 cents per gallon higher than where motorists find them today,” he said.