Published: June 23, 2008 10:12 am         

Gas crunch hitting Commerce residents

Are you ready to pay more than $4 a gallon? Well, you might not have a choice. The national average hit $4 a gallon Sunday, June 8, and East Texas is feeling the pinch at the pumps and in the pocket.

Local fueling stations are noticing a drop in food and beverage sales because of rising prices and tightening wallets. Employee Andy Bashim of Mr. Minit in Commerce has noticed consumer buying changes and dropping sales.

“When the gas prices are this high, my inside sales drop,” said Bashim. “People are paying almost $4 for gas, and they can’t afford drinks or cigarettes. How do they expect people who make $6 an hour on minimum wage to pay $4 a gallon for gas? And a lot of people drive to Dallas for work, that’s 60 miles one way for work, how can people afford it?

“My sales have dropped significantly, and there’s nothing else store owners can do. I’m mad. Business is not up and sales keep dropping. It costs me $40,000 to fill my holding tanks and I’m only making $700.”

According to a survey found at AAA.com, gas prices have hit an all-time high making the statewide average $3.86 a gallon, which is a weekly jump of 11 cents. The national average price rose 13 cents making a new record of $3.99 a gallon. The survey, conducted once a week and released June 8, also showed that the most expensive gasoline in Texas was in Dallas, where prices rose 3 cents a gallon and now costs $3.87 a gallon. Texarkana has the cheapest gasoline at $3.81 a gallon.

NYtimes.com reports that rural areas are hurting the most. The Times reports that some farm workers are borrowing money from their bosses so they can fill their tanks and get to work. Some are even switching jobs seeking shorter commutes. Kimberly Webb is a Hunt county resident who is in the process of switching jobs to save on gas money.

“When we lived in Plano, driving to downtown Dallas was not that bad,” Webb. “But when we moved to our farm in Merit, we were shocked at how much more money we spent on gas. We spent about $700 a month when I was driving to Dallas every day. Now that I am working less and trying to find something closer to home, it’s about $500 a month.”

Kimberly said her husband is also doing everything he can to save money and is now looking to more eco-friendly ways to save.

“The gas prices are making it hard for me to drive to Plano everyday. We’re building a house right now so the higher prices are making it an extreme impact on us. I work at the production facility for The Dallas Morning News, and gas prices are impacting the employees so much that they are now switching to a four-day work week,” Dan Webb said.

“I’m also going to start riding my motorcycle to work. I have a small car right now that I’m driving but when my wife and I go out I want to take my nice big truck. It’s a diesel so it’s expensive to drive as well. I’m interested in getting some type of bio-diesel system that’s going to save money, and Ford is coming out with an all electric truck that I’m interested in getting. But at this point, something needs to be done…and fast.”

Consumers like Rachel Cameron, who was filling up her tank at Mr. Minit in Commerce, are trying to find new ways to save money.

“Gas prices are ridiculous, but thank God I have a Hyundai that gets good gas mileage,” said Cameron. “I don’t know what I’ll do if they get any higher. Lately, I’ve been doing everything I can to get more miles out of my tank, like checking tire pressure, getting oil changes, and keeping up with maintenance. I’ve also been speeding less and combining all of my errands. But, there’s only so much a person can do.”

AAA.com also has tips on saving gas and gaining mileage. According to the Web site, the most common action taken in the past two months was combining errands. However, there are other things that can help — reducing overall driving, cutting back on eating out or entertainment, using a vehicle with the best fuel economy, checking tires for proper inflation, telecommuting, canceling vacations, using other means of transportation and carpooling.

Texas A&M University-Commerce students also feel the pain at the pump. Stephanie Garrett is a sophomore English major who decided to take the summer off because of the cost of the commute.

“Gas prices are getting so high that people are going to have to walk or bike everywhere. Commuting students are definitely going to start to feel the pinch,” said Garrett. “I’ve really had to start shopping less and I’m trying to conserve any way I can.”

Marthe Stinton is a student at Texas A&M University-Commerce in Dr. Lamar Bridges’ summer journalism class.

     

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