If you've noticed a price increase at the gas station this year — and especially this week — you're not alone.
Nationally, the price per gallon of regular unleaded gas has risen in 2021 from about $2.25 in January to $3.008 on Wednesday, says auto association AAA. It's the most expensive national average since 2014.
In Ohio, the current statewide average is $2.873 per gallon as of May 12, a few cents short of the national average but still trending upward. Yesterday, gas was $2.834, and a week ago it was $2.791. On April 12, one month ago, gas cost $2.717, while a year ago, it was just $1.861.
The highest recorded average in Ohio was $4.159 per gallon of regular unleaded gas on May 4, 2011, AAA says.
Cincinnati is feeling the pain. Gas in the city has risen incrementally over the last month, from $2.751 in April to $2.885 today. That tracks with Hamilton County's current average of $2.886, $2.883 in Butler County, $2.894 in Warren County and $2.871 in Clermont County.
Ohio's fuel tax is 38.5 cents per gallon, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation.
AAA says that the price increase is partially due to fallout from the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, the largest fuel pipeline in the nation. The pipeline, which fuels much of the East Coast, was hit by a cyberattack last week, forcing some systems to shut down. The pipeline has been restarting operations incrementally.
But Ohio largely is served by other refineries, so the Colonial Pipeline's effect on Ohio should be minimal, Patrick DeHaan of GasBuddy tells WKYC-TV in Cleveland.
Instead, the gradual ease of COVID-19 restrictions and vaccinated employees' return to the workplace has outpaced the current supply.
"Compared to last year when prices were only $1.85, this seems like sticker shock. But if it wasn't for last year and COVID, this is kind of right where you would expect us to be," DeHaan tells WKYC.
The rise in prices could impact summer travels, but DeHaan also points out that the current increase in price per gallon is minimal compared to the $4 consumers paid during the recession of 2008.
AAA recommends that consumers avoid buying large amounts of gas out of fear, minimize and combine outings, and remove bulky items from their vehicles to save on gas use.
