Motorists squeezed at the pumps
Local businesses aren’t the only ones feeling pain at the pumps when it comes time to fill up gas tanks. Average people who depend on the fuel to transport them to and from work, school, the grocery store and sporting events are feeling the pinch in their wallets, too.
Though most local gas stations – Sunoco, BP and Exxon – were still a few cents under $3 a gallon Saturday, experts predict the price of gasoline will continue to rise throughout summer and do not expect prices to lower considerably until after Labor Day, Sept. 4.
Andrew Holup, a cashier at the Uniontown Exxon on 215 W. Main St., said a lot of people comment on the price of gasoline when they come in to pay for it. Some people fill up their tank, but most people just put $10 to $20 in at a time, he said.
“They just say the price of gas is too high and should be lower,” Holup said.
Customers at several Uniontown gas stations said they hope the price of gasoline doesn’t rise much more. Anything over $3 is too much; $3.50 a gallon would be unaffordable, they say.
Hoping to save some money by using less fuel, some people are trading in their trucks and sport utility vehicles for more fuel-efficient vehicles.
Gregg Adamson, sales manager at University Toyota in Morgantown, W.Va., said the dealership he works for has been selling every Toyota Prius they receive, which is generally two to three vehicles a month.
The Prius is a hybrid vehicle that combines a gas and an emissions-free electric motor, allowing people who drive one to get about 40 to 50 miles to the gallon, Adamson said.
“People are definitely interested in hybrids,” he said, noting that he recently spoke to a couple interested in trading in their gas-hungry truck for a Prius.
Although hybrid vehicles are slightly more expensive than regular cars, Adamson said the money they’ll save people in gasoline more than makes up for it.
In addition to saving money at the gas station, people who purchase a hybrid vehicle also receive federal tax benefits, Adamson said. He said the benefits, which are being offered for a limited time, save most people about $3,000.