Gas Prices Expected to Skyrocket

By Brandon McCormick –

Set your wallet and bank accounts on “withdrawal.”  Gas prices are on the rise.

Gas prices are up nearly six cents this week, and that’s just the beginning according to CNNMoney.  Tom Kloza, the chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service said to CNNMoney, “We’ve got another 10 to 15 cents of catching up to do in the next few days.”

The Dreaded Gas Pump.

Penn Manor students are strategizing about how they will tackle the rise in gas prices.

“I’ll drive less,” said Bo Perez, a junior at Penn Manor. “It’s hard to pay for gas now.”

“I’m not going to stop driving [completely] because of prices,” Perez said.

Perez has a 30-minute round trip to school everyday. His 1984 Chevrolet S-10 gets about 17 miles per gallon.

Penn Manor senior James McElroy drives a 1995 Ford Mustang which gets 13-14 miles per gallon.

“Yes, I’m going to keep driving to school even with high prices,” said McElroy.

With only a 20-minute round trip to school everyday he said he has different things to worry about.

“It wouldn’t be so hard to pay for gas if I didn’t have to pay $40 for a parking spot.”

Gas prices have jumped 4.2 percent from the beginning of February. Prices increased about 35 cents in 13 days.

Getting only 8 miles per gallon, Josh Morgan of Penn Manor has his own way of dealing with the climbing prices, “I’ll cut back on driving but I’ll work more to pay for gas.”

Gas currently costs an average of $3.49 per gallon. At that rate,  Morgan pays $5.24 PER DAY to drive to and from school.

This doesn’t come close to the $60 PER WEEK Ryan Wissler had to pay to drive to and from school when he was driving his 2002 Ford F-350 Power Stroke pickup truck.

“Gas prices are ridiculous,” said Wissler. “I got a car because the money I would save on gas would pay for the car.”

Wissler bought a 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt in hopes to save cash over driving his truck. The Cobalt gets 30 mpg versus 11 mpg of diesel fuel in his truck.

Crude oil hit a price of $102.23 per barrel, breaking the $100 mark for the first time since September 2008. With these prices, even teachers are cringing at the pump.

Start Worrying When You See "E."

Steve Hess, a physics teacher at Penn Manor sold his 2002 Dodge Ram and upgraded to a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit.

“The main reason is fuel economy,” said Hess. “I get 50 mpg versus 13 in my truck.”

Hess commented about the political side of the price increase, “Worst part is it’s such a political thing and the government won’t do anything about [prices].”

The true reason for the price rise may be at question, but all drivers need to know is to be ready to pay at the pump, and pay, and pay.

4 thoughts on “Gas Prices Expected to Skyrocket”

  1. There is too much complaining about gas prices lately. I drive a 2001 Ford Expedition which gets 10 mpg. My house is huge and I can obviously afford it and I know other people can too so just chill. It refuels the economy anyway.

  2. I am personally so excited to have received my license. I can’t believe they actually let catfish drive.

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