The price of gas has risen steadily all over the country since mid-2021 and is almost reaching the highs the country saw during the 2008 energy crisis. The increase is due to multiple reasons, from COVID-19 to Russia’s war with Ukraine. Regardless of the cause, its impact is felt by student drivers who depend on vehicles to transport them to and from school, extracurricular activities and work.
“[My family and I] are not fans of it, so sometimes we make jokes about how it increases almost every day or just changes by the cent,” senior Mary Menelik said. “We hope it goes back down soon because it is so weird seeing gas cost almost $100 [every time we fill up the tank].”
Chapel Hill-Durham area has some of the priciest gas in North Carolina at an average of $3.99 a gallon; the price of gas peaked this year in North Carolina on March 11 at $4.19 a gallon.
Using an analysis from the AAA Motor Report and the Federal Highway Administration, Old North News estimates that drivers in Chapel Hill will spend $74.44 more on gas in April of 2022 than they did in April of 2021.
President Biden announced on March 31 that he would open oil reserves to distribute one million barrels of oil per day throughout the country. The average price of gas may have dropped six cents since this announcement, but the price remains higher than many are used to.
Senior Kate Cruickshank drives to school regularly, often driving her neighbors as well. She also commutes to work and piano lessons and pays for her own gas.
“[My family and I] have definitely had to think about whether driving to certain places is worth the gas money,” Cruickshank said. “But for now, I will still be going to work and piano lessons.”
Senior Julian Howard is working to save up to buy his own car, and the rise in gas prices is taking away from his savings.
“Between work, school and extracurricular activities, I can’t afford to go see friends more than once a month, and it’s making me choose what social event to do each month,” Howard said.
Not every student, though, has been affected by the rising prices of gas. Even though senior Rio Trevathan lives in downtown Durham and commutes 30 minutes to school, he earns enough as a server that the cost of gas is not an issue for him.
“It hasn’t really affected me because I don’t budget well,” Trevathan said. “I make 200 dollars a night serving, so my bank account looks [the same between my earning and spending].”
Social studies teacher Tim Campbell commutes from his home in Rougemont to Chapel Hill High School, a roughly 50-mile round-trip drive that uses two gallons of gas.
In spite of the pricier gas, Campbell shared that, because of his upbringing with people who were conservative with their money, he learned to be frugal with his.
“I don’t tend to think much about the price of gas because I live well below my means,” Campbell said, “though that doesn’t mean I don’t notice when I am paying about 15 dollars more every time I fill up the tank.”
It is impossible to say when gas prices will come back down; in fact, according to economic experts from the University of Houston, the price of gas is volatile and is likely to fluctuate throughout the rest of the year.
In the meantime, CNBC recommends avoiding idling in the car, reducing air conditioner and heater usage and maintaining the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure to conserve as much gas as possible and potentially save at least half a dollar per gallon.
