John Potter
Channel 2 News
It's a beautiful sunny holiday. But at the Quik Stop, Dave Thomas is not smiling. He's filling his truck, and what he sees in front of him...close to $4 a gallon, is enough to take the joy out of any drive. "I'm retired. I mean, we only have so much money to live on. I have to drive to Sacramento to see my doctor."
One aisle over, Liliana Copado depends on the pump…a lot. She's a teacher who drives from Reno to Carson City for work. We watched as she filled up. Her total? "About $60, as you can see right there. I pay that every 4 days. It's a lot."
Over at pump number 1, Cristina Whitton says she'll have to raise her own prices. She's a courier, who tacks on a fee for what she pays for gas. "I just put in $50, so probably, if it goes up to $5, probably $200 a week in gas."
Just when the economic recovery was slowly taking hold, this roadblock has jumped in the way. High gas prices, an old familiar enemy, and they're now at the highest price point we've ever seen this early in the year. The latest numbers from AAA show the average price for a gallon of gas in the Reno area is $3.73, up about 20 cents from a month ago. Statewide the average climbed to $3.58 a gallon.
It's a bad sign over what's to come. Experts are saying we'll hit $5 a gallon this summer. That has northern Nevadans worried, about something most can't do without.
Over at Sierra Car Care on west Plumb, manager Rob Wolter is not looking forward to that. He's on the receiving end when folks have something to say about it. "Everyone thinks it's the gas stations that set the prices. And that's really not true."
The increases are blamed on unrest in the Middle East. There isn't much you can do about that, but there are ways to save. Use a website or mobile app to find the lowest price. Fill up mid-week...often gas prices are highest on weekends. Use the self-serve pumps, and pay cash to avoid credit card fees when you can. A club card or receipt will also get you a lower price from some supermarkets.
And of course, drive less. That's what retiree Dave Thomas is going to do. "I'm not going to drive as much. I'm not going to go anywhere. I'm not going to do as much."
