Kim Smith is pumping gas in Victor. She, like many others, is not happy about prices.
“Getting bitter about it,” Smith said Wednesday. “There doesn’t seem to be anything that we’re doing that’s going to affect it.”
Drivers fear Labor Day will cause gas prices to spike (video)
Smith is just one of the people living in the Finger Lakes who is tired of shelling out more to fill their tanks.
“We had a van that took diesel gas and we’re just so glad we sold it,” Smith said.
AAA data shows drivers have changed habits
AAA reports the price of oil has dropped to about $90 per barrel, down from $120 per barrel earlier this summer.
Data from AAA shows if oil prices edge lower, drivers will likely continue to see falling pump prices.
The organization found through a survey, that drivers are making significant changes to cope with high gas prices.
The survey found two-thirds of adults in the U.S. say they have changed their driving habits or lifestyle since March.
More: As gas prices stay high, here are some membership programs to make prices cheaper
Price per gallon is about a dollar more than last year
According to AAA, a year ago here in New York, drivers were paying about $3.24 per gallon. Today, they’re paying about one dollar more per gallon. But some people we spoke with throughout the Finger Lakes, like Smith, think the prices might spike up even higher again.
“It almost seems like, Labor Day is coming,” Smith said. “So they’re gonna jack up those prices. I’m almost thinking that’s what’s gonna happen.”
New York’s average more than $4 a gallon, down from $5 in May
As of Wednesday, the national average was $3.84, and New York’s average was $4.11, according to AAA. That’s down from an average of more than $5 per gallon in May.
But even though prices are down since then, travelers say they’re not optimistic.
“I keep thinking we need to hit it on a certain day, that the next day if we didn’t get it the day before it’s going to go up or something like that,” Smith said. “So no, I’m not thinking ‘oh, it’s going down, we can relax a bit.’ I’m not trusting that it’s staying one way or another.”
Rebecca is a veteran multimedia journalist serving as one of our core reporters in the Finger Lakes region. She is responsible for telling stories that matter to every day Upstate New Yorkers. Have a question or lead? Send it to [email protected].