Gasoline prices increase this week

VW independent/submitted information

Van Wert gasoline prices are all below the statewide average, and also under $2.50 a gallon for the week.

The Murphy USA station in the Towne Center shopping center is selling gasoline at $2.44 a gallon, the lowest in the city.

Every other service station has gasoline at $2.49 a gallon. That includes the two Pak-A-Sak Marathon stations, the Marathon station at the Brookside Convenience Store on West Main, the Casey’s General Store station and Shell station, both on South Washington, and the two Sunoco stations at the One Stop Shop and Short Stop.

Ohio gas prices have risen 1.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.58 per gallon on Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 stations. Gas prices in Ohio are 21.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago, yet stand 10.4 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Ohio is priced at $2.24 per gallon on Monday while the most expensive is $2.99 per gallon, a difference of 75 cents per gallon. The cheapest price in the entire country today stands at $1.75 per gallon, while the most expensive is $4.99 per gallon, a difference of $3.24 per gallon. 

The national average price of gasoline has risen 3.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.69 per gallon on Monday. The national average is up 26.5 cents per gallon from a month ago, yet stands 3.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

“There’s no fooling motorists, gas prices have continued to surge,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “For the seventh straight week the national average has continued to rise, unabated, due to seasonal impacts. 

“The run-up this spring has felt worse than prior years, and, thus far, the national average is up nearly 50 cents per gallon from our 2019 low,” DeHaan added. “Unfortunately, this a rut we’ll be stuck in yet for at least a few more weeks. 

“President Trump, as much as he’d like to control oil and gasoline prices, has not been able to successfully convince OPEC to respond, with oil prices last week closing above $60 per barrel, a fresh 2019 high,” DeHaan noted. “What the President may not realize is that while oil prices have been a minor piece of the pie of rising gas prices, the bulk remains EPA mandates during the summer months that coincide with refineries doing work ahead of the intense demand during the summer in which most run near capacity.”