Gas Prices On The Rise in New York

If you've noticed the price to fill up on gas has gone up in the Capital Region you aren't alone.

There isn't really a good time for gas prices to go up, but it seems like it is an inescapable thing. No matter how low they get they always seem to climb. It doesn't just affect your wallet but it also affects how you plan out your days, weeks, and months.

April is spring break for so many, and a lot of folks are taking road trips. Maybe gas prices have cut the trips short or cancelled them all together. You will probably see prices go up on other goods as well since getting them to merchants will be more costly.

It's a snowball affect and just as the weather is getting nicer, too.

So why are gas prices on the rise?

Looks like we can blame the West Coast for this because of maintenance on their oil refineries. What makes it worse is that US oil refineries are at the highest maintenance rate since 2019.

Mansfield energy reported in the fall of 2023 that, "refineries are facing higher-than-usual maintenance due to several factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the regular maintenance schedules, leading to a backlog of necessary work that is now being addressed."

The necessary work involves cleaning and making sure that all the equipment and facilities are in safe and working order. To me that sounds pretty good. The last thing we'd want is for a facility to not be able to function at all. I'll take rolling maintenance any day over losing our ability to refine oil.

On average it looks like gas is up by 6.5 cents. Not the biggest climb, but something to prepare for as we head into the spring and summer and people start hitting the road more.

The 10 Cheapest Gas Stations In The Capital Region Now Under $3/Gallon

As we head into the New Year, many of us have better budgeting and saving money on the top of our minds. Well, a little good news: gas prices continue to drop which will help provide a little relief in your monthly budget line for fuel. Gas prices have been slowly coming down of late and dropped to an average of $3.06 a gallon nationwide according to Gas Buddy, A bunch here in the Capital Region are now under $3.

Here are the 10 Capital Region gas stations with the lowest prices for a gallon of regular gas as of Tuesday, January 2, 2024 (All under $3), according to Gas Buddy. These prices are a moving target so keep checking Gas Buddy for updates!

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff