With Crude Oil Prices Dropping, Pain At The Pump Becoming Less
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- You've probably noticed a lot less pain at the pump lately.
Gas prices nationally have dropped a record 110 consecutive days. Here in Western Pennsylvania, prices just dropped 12 cents to an average of $2.43 a gallon.
"It's certainly helpful in terms of paying here at the pump," says Rachel Kolko, of Shadyside.
"Everything else is so high, we could at least have something cheaper, gas; so $2.50 a gallon is pretty good," said Karlin Stanton, of Mount Washington. "Twenty dollars will get you a decent amount of gas now, as opposed to just like four gallons."
Employees at AAA say there are a couple of reasons why.
"During the winter, blends are normally cheaper and the demand is less and a lot more people are driving in the summer than the wintertime," said AAA spokesperson Chelsea Pompeani. "But the main reason is because of crude oil. Right now, crude oil is hovering around $45 and they have not seen that kind of low in five years."
If the cost of crude continues to drop, so will the gas prices.
AAA says the global price of crude has lost more than half its value just since mid-2014.
Whatever the reason, drivers say they are enjoying spending less at the pump and more on other things.
"I can buy more food, more groceries," said Stanton. "I can just put $10 in the gas tank and then go put the rest of the money in the refrigerator, you know, it's a good thing."
Tammi Bishop, of Friendship, says she's putting a lot more miles on her car.
"I love it, actually. I travel a lot between here and Harrisburg and it just made it so much easier," she said.
And more good news, AAA says you don't have to worry about these lower gas prices going away anytime soon. They say it will likely be spring before we start to see prices go back up.
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