Brace yourselves. You may not like what you’re about to read.
If gas prices rise anywhere in the South Texas region, it’s more likely that you’ll see evidence of it in the Rio Grande Valley before anywhere else.
At least that’s according to Patrick De Haan, the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.com, who said Wednesday that the McAllen, Edinburg and Pharr metropolitan statistical area is likely to see a rise in gas prices sooner than cities like San Antonio.
GasBuddy, a Boston-based tech company, provides consumers with real-time fuel prices at more than 140,000 gas stations in the United States, Canada and Australia.
“Some of these stations in McAllen are very close to selling gasoline at cost so, if anything, you could see some of the cheaper stations, depending on oil markets. Those cheaper stations may eventually go up sooner than an area like San Antonio,” De Haan said.
De Haan went on to say that if fuel costs rise then local stations would likely increase their prices to create a profitable cushion, and compete.
Taking a drive Wednesday down Trenton in Edinburg and North and East Nolana Avenue and Nolana Loop in McAllen, it’s easy to see such competition between each gas station as prices differ by the penny from station to station.
“When prices go up, everyone’s kind of forced to raise their price at the same time because nobody wants to lose money, but when prices go down some stations lower their prices faster,” De Haan said. “Some of them may want to lower their prices to have a competitive advantage.”
As of Thursday, Texas is considered the second cheapest state for gas at $3.436 per gallon, tied with Mississippi, and right behind Arkansas which is selling gas for $3.405 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.
Meanwhile, local residents continue to find ways to conserve, from shopping around for the cheapest prices, to resorting to turning their vehicles off at stop lights, to accepting kindnesses from strangers they meet at the pumps who’ve helped with a few bucks.
While pumping gas in McAllen on Wednesday, Eddie Gracia, 62, said he feels the impact of high gas prices in his line of work delivering medical supplies. He drives a Dodge Ram 1500 and fills up at the Circle K on South Sugar Road and West Ferguson, where gas was $3.09 per gallon Wednesday.
He said he would usually pay $70 to $80 when gas prices were at their highest in the Valley, but it’s topping off at a little over $60 now.
It’s safe to say he’s not looking forward to a rise in gas prices.
“It’s been affecting me quite a bit because I have a lot of inventory to give out,” Gracia said with a sigh.
Jose Alvarado, 50, who works at Applebee’s, said high fuel costs take a toll on his finances and budgets conservatively where he can.
“The way I see it, it’s between yes and no,” Alvarado said when asked if a recent fall in gas prices helped. “It’s steady.”
Alvarado said he can assure a rise in gas prices due to the upcoming holidays, as he added a few dollars of gas into his van at a Stripes on West Trenton Road and South Jackson, which was selling gas at $3.04 per gallon.
“It’s not right,” Alvarado said. “Every time that there’s a holiday they always have to raise up the gas.”
The Applebee’s employee said he always has to be aware of where he’s going to make sure he’ll be able to pump gas along the way, calculating his every step, whether it be to McAllen or to Palmhurst.
Alvarado also said he turns off his vehicle at stop lights in order to save gas. When asked how much he normally puts in his vehicle, he said “no more than $10.”
Alvarado added that despite his struggles, people have been generous to him at the pump.
“They see me put in two or three dollars so, you know, they say. ‘You know what, put five more,’ and I say thank you,” Alvarado said as he chuckled.
