VW low gas prices again match state avg.

VW independent/submitted information

Gasoline prices in Van Wert have again caught up with the statewide average, with four of the local stations selling gas for the state average of $2.18 per gallon. Those stations include the Murphy USA station in the Towne Center shopping center, the Pak-A-Sak Marathon stations on North Washington and South Shannon streets, and the Lassus Handy Dandy station on North Washington.

The Shell station on South Washington is a penny higher at $2.19 per gallon, while the One Stop Shop station in the 200 block of North Washington as at $2.20 per gallon. The Brookside Marathon station on West Main Street is selling gas at $2.28 per gallon, while the Short Stop Sunoco station has gasoline at $2.29 per gallon.

The prices this week were at least a nickel lower than those last week, with the lowest station selling gasoline at $2.23 per gallon last Monday, while gasoline prices in Ohio rose 6.6 cents per gallon in the past week to average $2.18 per gallon on Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 stations in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has fallen 2.7 cents per gallon versus last week to $2.41 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.
Including the change locally during the past week, prices Sunday were 17.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago and are 25.5 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has dropped 28.0 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 3.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

“Average gas prices have continued to move lower in most states in the last week as retail prices continue to catch up to the low price of oil,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. Twenty-seven states boast a low price of $2 per gallon or less, and Missouri’s statewide average will likely fall under $2 per gallon this week, representing the first state to cross the psychological barrier.

“While the going has been good at most gas pumps, OPEC countries did agree to curb oil production, but the cut was smaller than we had expected, and for a shorter duration than anticipated, resulting in a small upward move in oil, one that may not immediately curb the declines,” DeHaan added. “We appear poised to see the national average drop perhaps at least one more week — and we could close this week with the nation’s average in the $2.30s — the lowest in over a year.”