Gasoline prices increase in Van Wert

VW independent/submitted information

Gasoline prices in Van Wert had a price range of 16 cents on Sunday, with the Shell station on South Washington Street having the lowest price at $2.33 per gallon, 9 cents lower than the state average. Murphy USA in the Towne Center shopping center was at $2.39 cents per gallon, while the One Stop Shop on North Washington Street was offering gasoline at $2.42 cents per gallon — the same as the state average.

The remainder of city service stations, including both Pak-A-Sak Marathon stations, the Marathon station at Brookside Convenience store on West Main Street, Lassus Handy Dandy on North Washington, and the Short Stop Sunoco station on East Main Street were selling gasoline at $2.49 per gallon.

Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have fallen 3.6 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.42 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has increased 4.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.60 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices Sunday were 29.6 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 12.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 9.2 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 32.3 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

“The jump at the pump has continued unabated over the last week as oil prices have rallied and the typical spring fever starts to grip energy markets, causing gas prices to continue to accelerate,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “The Great Lakes led the region as the region cycled one step closer to the final summer-spec gasoline in the last week; and with the change, a price rise that was passed on from the wholesale to retail level, pushing their prices to tie for the highest prices in a couple years.

“Much of the rest of the country also saw prices rise, albeit a tamer rise,” DeHaan added. “As March wraps up, gas prices are going out like a small lion, but there may be a larger lion looming in the weeks ahead. The surge at the pump is by no means over just yet.”