Drivers suspect holiday weekend to blame for jump in gas prices

June 29, 2010|By Cliff Judy | KWCH 12 Eyewitness News

WICHITA, Kan. — Gas prices jumped overnight in Wichita, and most drivers blame the upcoming holiday weekend.

Many gas stations in north Wichita saw increases from $2.51 per gallon for unleaded to $2.65 per gallon.

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Jim Hanni from AAA says there are plenty of myths floating around about what's to blame for the price jump. Hanni says the increase is more likely due to the fact oil companies recently let their inventories shrink. He says the Gulf of Mexico oil crisis still hasn't affected gas prices, either.

Still, drivers suspected the upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

"They know people are going to be using it more," says Kristeen Gilbertson of Whitewater. "They're going to need gas more to travel."

Another driver, Cory Hinnenkamp, said any increase was difficult for him to handle. Hinnenkamp was laid off from Hawker Beechcraft a year and a half ago.

"It takes one night for it to jump 15 cents, and then 10 days to fall five cents," says Hinnenkamp. "There are people making money somewhere, but we're just giving it to them."

Hanni says the U.S. demand for oil is still very low compared to a couple of years ago. He says that likely means Kansans won't see large, sudden jumps to $3 or $3.50 per gallon for gas this summer.

Kansans paid for that high demand in past years. Below are the city-wide average gas prices in Wichita for a gallon of unleaded on June 29 the last few years:

2007: $2.97/gallon
2008: $3.88/gallon
2009: $2.39/gallon
2010: $2.56/gallon

AAA expects road travel this holiday weekend to increase 20% from the Fourth of July last year.

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