FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Finding gas has been the first challenge for many drivers this week while paying for it has started to become a close second.
Gas prices are up 25 cents a gallon in the last month according to AAA Auto Club.
At a Chevron station on U.S. Highway 1 in Fort Pierce, a gallon of regular gas was $3.75 Wednesday.
While that price is similar to what WPTV saw up and down the Treasure Coast, one customer said it was $3.53 at that station just the other day.
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AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said the average price in the state is $3.69, which is in line with the national average and lower than what drivers saw a year ago.
"There's been a lot of volatility in the past year since Russia invaded Ukraine. That led to a lot of concern over global supplies," Jenkins said. "The state average reached a high of $4.89 cents."
According to AAA, gas prices right now are the highest they have been this year.
Jenkins said the price reflects the cost of getting gas from the fuel depots to the stations in the wake of last week's flooding in Fort Lauderdale.
"It means a higher cost for retailers to get the gasoline, and if they have to pay more to get gasoline, they're going to have to charge more to offset that expense," Jenkins said.
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WPTV contacted the Florida Attorney General's office to see if there had been an increase in complaints via the state price gouging hotline.
"We have seen an increase in contacts from consumers about gas prices and are currently reviewing those contacts," a spokesman said.
As we go through the summer, Jenkins said it's anybody's guess where prices will go.
"It’s all going to be directly tied to the price of oil and what's happening globally in terms of supply and demand," Jenkins said.
With OPEC making production cuts recently, Jenkins said that is also having an impact on what we pay at the pump.
