FAIRBORN — Labor Day weekend is almost here, and for many, the unofficial end of summer means a road trip.
Gas prices have been dropping over the last month, but prices are still higher than last year at this time.
News Center 7 Consumer Reporter Xavier Hershovitz was in Greene County, where experts say prices could jump by the end of the weekend.
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Tina Bell, who lives in Yellow Springs, said, “It’s a great reprieve from everything.” According to AAA, gas prices have dropped about 20 cents in the last month for the Dayton area.
However, with Labor Day coming up, Patrick De Haan, with Gas Buddy, said, “We saw oil prices jump 3% on Monday. They’re also up again 3% today, along with the price of gasoline. That 6% jump is going to be hard for stations to stomach in the run-up to Labor Day.”
De Haan said prices in Dayton have the risk of jumping by the weekend. He said it would be part of a routine price cycle with prices dropping so low stations start to lose money.
“We could see prices in Dayton climbing closer to that $4 gallon mark here at a moment’s notice ahead of Labor Day,” De Haan said.
He suggests consumers fill up now, and if you are hitting the road this weekend, he suggests you compare prices along your route.
“Especially in Ohio, one of the most volatile states for gas prices, you may find a diamond in the rough charging $3.49. You could find another station at $3.00.” De Haan said.
However, with the ongoing war with Iran, De Haan said analyzing gas prices this summer has been difficult.
“It’s an impossible mission this summer to be able to predict beyond the next week or two, given the amount of geographical inflation that has impacted prices,” De Haan said.
He said the switch to winter blend gasoline will start in about two weeks. That could bring some relief to the pumps, but the biggest difference marker will be a deal overseas.
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