DALLAS — In 2020, the average price of gas was $1.80/gallon around the Thanksgiving holiday in Texas, according to AAA.
That is not the case this year. As of Tuesday, it’s $3.04/gallon in the Lone Star State.
“Thanksgiving is around the corner. We're going to have 3.6 million Texans that'll be driving to their Thanksgiving destination. That's close to what we saw in 2019,” AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster said. “So certainly demand for gasoline will be coming up likely in the next week or so, and that can force the price back up. So we could just see price fluctuations over the next week or two.”
According to AAA, gas in Collin, Denton, and Tarrant counties is just over $3.00/gallon. In Dallas, it’s $3.12/gallon.
Gas in Texas is cheaper than the national average, which is $3.41/gallon as of Tuesday.
“Crude oil prices are over $80/barrel right now. Every time we see crude oil prices get as high as they are, it's typically due to some geopolitical issue or reason,” Armbruster said. “And again, the world is recovering from the pandemic. It's waking back up and consumption and demand for crude oil and the products that come from crude oil are on the rise and so all of that's happening at a time when also you're dealing with job shortages here in the U.S., supply chain issues, and so that's all leading to higher prices.”
So any tips for drivers?
AAA and sites like GasBuddy can help you find the cheapest gas in your area.
Making sure your vehicle is working properly before heading out to your Thanksgiving destination can help, too.
“Make sure your vehicle’s well maintained, especially your tires and your engine,” Armbruster said. “Under-inflated tires are not only dangerous, but of course they can also lead to lower fuel efficiency. And if your engine’s having to work harder because it's not being maintained, that’s just going to cause you to consume more gasoline.”