GREENE COUNTY — Fuel prices are expected to decrease, but not immediately, despite a deal signed this week between the United States and Iran. As summer travel ramps up, News Center 7’s Kylie Bridgeman spoke with drivers in Greene County who are feeling the financial strain at the pump.
Gas prices have been rising for months, raising concerns for travelers heading into the busy summer holiday season. The recent agreement between the U.S. and Iran is expected to eventually lower costs nationwide, but its impact will not be immediate.
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Michelle Hodge, who works as a DoorDash driver, expressed her frustration with the high fuel prices.
Hodge noted that she paid 20 cents less per gallon in Huber Heights last week compared to Riverside, a neighboring area. “I can tell you right now that last week I paid 20 cents cheaper in Huber Heights than I did in Riverside, which is right next door,” Hodge said.
She also mentioned the daily struggle to afford basic necessities. “It’s been a lot like I mean I struggle every day just to feed myself, to pay my cell phone bill, to keep gas in my car,” Hodge said.
Riley Keck, another driver, said his summer road trip to Myrtle Beach cost him more than it would have last summer, even though he does not frequently drive long distances. Keck noted that he and his wife budget for gas each month.
“I mean my wife and I budget for gas every month, so sometimes you just have to make sacrifices elsewhere to pay for it,” Keck said.
Prices at the pumps in Beavercreek on Monday were around $3.60 a gallon. Today, fuel is flowing for about $3.30 a gallon. Across the Dayton metro area, the current average gas price is $3.67 a gallon. One week ago, the average was $3.88. A month ago, the average stood at $4.61, while one year ago, it was $3.03.
Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy previously stated that even after the Strait of Hormuz opened, it would take time for prices to drop. The summer travel season is underway, with Juneteenth kicking off a holiday travel weekend.
The Fourth of July, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, is just a couple of weeks away.
It could take a couple of months for oil prices to fully retreat back into the $60s, which is where they were prior to attacks on Iran.
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