DAYTON — The average for a gallon of gas in the Dayton area jumped ten cents overnight and thirty cents in the last week.
News Center 7′s Consumer Investigative Reporter Xavier Hershovitz spent Thursday on Pump Patrol looking into why the sudden jump and some ways you can save at the pump.
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From Springfield - Beavercreek - Xenia - Dayton, everywhere News Center 7 visited, gas was $3.75 a gallon.
“Suddenly, stations had a double whammy,” Patrick De Haan said.
Patrick De Haan is the Head of Petroleum Analysis at Gas Buddy. He said there are several reasons for this drastic jump, part of which is the pricing cycle.
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“The competitors basically are undercutting each other to get you to go to them. When the competition matches the price. One competitor goes a penny lower,” De Haan said.
The announcement of some production being shut down hit right at the point in the cycle where prices would rise.
‘’That’s why the increase was so big stations basically had no margin left,” De Haan said.
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De Haan expects prices to go down as soon as next week, but if you need to fill up in the meantime, there are some ways you can save.
First, sign up for your favorite station’s reward program.
“You sign up. It knocks off five cents a gallon,” De Haan said.
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Plus, how you drive also makes a difference, so keep a close eye on your RPMs.
“The more it’s rotating the more fuel it’s burning. the higher your RPMs, the more fuel you’re consuming, the faster you’re gonna have to fill your tank back up,” De Haan said.
Warehouse clubs like Costco often take longer to feel the impact of gas prices rising, so take advantage if you are a member.
It also helps to shop around right now. You may find a couple of gas stations that have not raised their price yet. The easiest way to find the cheapest gas near you is to pull up the WHIO app, click pump patrol, and you will be able to find the closest, cheapest gas.