Staff Reports
Florida gas prices shot up 16 cents last week, after reaching a 2022 low of $3.17 per gallon on Wednesday. It’s the largest weekly increase since June, according to AAA — The Auto Club Group.
“The jump at the pump came as a surprise, as this time a week ago, it appeared that the state’s gas tax holiday would pressure prices lower,” AAA Spokesman Mark Jenkins said.
“However, things changed quickly after OPEC and its allies announced plans to cut oil production by 2 million barrels per day. This sent oil and gasoline futures prices back to 5-week highs. As a result, the price for retailers to purchase gasoline jumped more than 30 cents, erasing any of the downward progress created by the 25-cent sales tax holiday.”
The U.S. price of oil rose 17% last week, driving Friday’s closing price of $92.64 per barrel to $13 more than the week before. Since oil is a key ingredient in gasoline, oil prices affect the cost of producing, buying and selling fuel.
Florida drivers are now paying an average price of $3.33 per gallon. That’s 7 cents more than the average price last Sunday and closer to what drivers paid on Oct. 1 ($3.38) than on Oct. 2 ($3.26).
The most expensive places in Florida to fill up are in West Palm Beach-Boca Raton ($3.50), Fort Lauderdale ($3.36) and Miami ($3.36). The cheapest gas prices can be found in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach ($3.17), Pensacola ($3.18) and Panama City ($3.21).
As drivers continue to feel the squeeze, AAA advises motorists to save money on gas by combining errands to limit driving, shop around for the best gas prices, pay with cash to avoid credit card mark-ups, remove excess vehicle weight, and avoid aggressive acceleration and speeding to increase fuel economy.
There are resources for drivers, including savings programs such as Shell’s fuel rewards program that saves drivers 30 cents per gallon on their first fill-up and 5 cents per gallon on each additional trip to the pump. AAA also provides a free mobile app to search for the cheapest gas in your area, as well as a Gas Cost Calculator to anticipate and plan for fuel cost.
Florida’s pump prices are still well below the national average. As of Sunday, gas prices averaged $3.91 nationally, but just $3.32 in Florida.
12 comments
Impeach Biden
October 10, 2022 at 9:02 am
This and forty year inflation and defund the police and southern border chaos will bring out lots of pissed off voters come November. Demings is toast. Pelosi will give up her gavel. Please let’s hope crying Chuck Schumer looses his position as well.
Impeach Biden
October 10, 2022 at 9:04 am
Jose Biden is depleting our strategic oil reserves and it’s not working. Jose’s position on day one of his administration set this in motion. Jose, you sir are a dumbass.
Tom
October 10, 2022 at 9:14 am
Yes impeach, 40 yr low on the strategic oil caverns.
Biden has brought economic ruin.
Bringing our national security to the brink. Armageddon talk, as irresponsible as it comes!
Gas spiking nationally too.
Just a disaster.
Charlie Crist
October 10, 2022 at 10:13 am
👆 This communist wants government intervention in the free market so he can afford cheap stuff!!!! Not governments fault you can’t afford shit buddy “Go out and get a better education and a better job.” – Rick Scott
Impeach Biden
October 10, 2022 at 10:52 am
Yet you support subsidizing college. You make lots of assumptions about my economic status and let me tell you Crist and the rest of your phony names, you have no idea.
Charlie Crist
October 10, 2022 at 12:24 pm
You are complaining about government being at fault for you not being able to afford things. What should one assume then?
Impeach Biden
October 10, 2022 at 5:47 pm
Of course our government is at fault for much of this due to the fact that Biden has repeatedly said that he wanted to put the fossil fuel industry out of business. His actions on day one of his administration is a big reason we are where we are today due to his policies. Jennifer Granholm is as dumb as him by the way.
Ocean Joe
October 10, 2022 at 9:54 am
What could possibly go wrong with continued over reliance on fossil fuels?
GOP answer: solve inflation with an investigation of Hunter and a lopsided tax cut for the rich, solve climate change by ignoring it and calling it a hoax, solve the status of American health care by repealing Obamacare (health insurance is a privilege of the wealthy, right?), solve immigration by ending it, solve our moral decline not by helping others but by abolishing a right to abortion, solve poverty by slashing social programs. Solve crime by arming everyone. Got it!
Been around lately? Check out interest rates over the past 50 years. And poor Joe Biden, president over a country whose citizens seem to have forgotten how much their parents and grandparents sacrificed that they melt when the going gets tough.
Joe Corsin
October 10, 2022 at 10:15 am
OPEC reducing supply is Biden’s fault 🤡
Impeach Biden
October 10, 2022 at 10:51 am
Why would OPEC listen to Jose when Jose has declared war on the oil industry?
Joe Corsin
October 10, 2022 at 12:29 pm
They don’t listen to anyone who doesn’t have a hand in the means of oil production. That’s why the USA should nationalize the oil and gas industry..THEN you can blame whoever is in charge of the government…but not NOW. Nobody has declared war or the oil industry. You people lie like dogs and make exaggerated claims. Plenty of stupid people fall for it… that’s why the GOP exists… because of stupid people.
Impeach Biden
October 10, 2022 at 5:48 pm
We were energy independent and then Dumb and Dumber along with the third stooge, Jennifer Granholm took over.
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