Gas prices likely to increase as Florida reopens

Reporter: Breana Ross Writer: Jackie Winchester
Published: Updated:
Credit: WINK News

Don’t get used to the lower gas prices. As Florida continues to reopen, you can expect to pay more at the pump.

The simple reason: supply and demand. The more people get out of their house and drive, the higher the prices will go.

AAA said Florida’s gas prices have already gone up in the last week, with more increases likely in the coming weeks.

Cheryl Schaaf reopened her store Spirit of the Earth in downtown Fort Myers two weeks ago, and she said reopening her doors started with a bang.

“The first day we had people waiting in their cars waiting for us to open. They were actually lined up on the street,” she said.

With more people heading out to businesses like Schaff’s, and with the easing of restrictions, AAA said the low gas prices we started getting used to won’t last much longer.

“Gas prices came down tremendously while people couldn’t get out,” Schaaf said. “I filled up my tank today for $16.50.”

“I got it for like a $1.47 last week,” said David Kordelski. “It’s not a good thing going on but cheap gas is always good.”

Florida’s state average for gas prices rose slightly to $1.77 last week as demand grew. AAA said the upward trend will likely continue.

“Now everybody’s back on the road again. Everything is getting back to normal so naturally, it’s the way of the business, it’s going to go up really fast,” said Everod Lebert.

Kordelski said he’ll take higher prices at the pump any day if it means people are starting to resume their lives and get back to a sense of normality.

“I’m more than happy to see people out and about and healthy than cheap gas,” he said.

AAA said even with the growing need for gas, the demand is still 30 percent lower than it was a year ago. The prices in Florida are also almost a dollar less than this time last year.

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