Van Wert gas prices all under $2 a gallon

VW independent/submitted information

Van Wert gasoline prices were all under $2 a gallon for the first time in more than a year — and all more than a nickel under the state average. Local residents are now saving a significant amount of money over prices earlier this year that peaked closer to $3 a gallon before dropping in December.

The lowest gasoline price in the city on Wednesday was $1.94 a gallon, with three stations each selling gasoline at that price: the Murphy USA station in the Towne Center shopping center, the Pak-A-Sak Marathon station on South Shannon Street, and the Lassus Handy Dandy station in the 800 block of North Washington Street.

The other Pak-A-Sak Marathon station on North Washington was a penny higher at $1.95 cents a gallon, while the One Stop Shop station in the 200 block of North Washington was at $1.97 a gallon, the Short Stop station on East Main Street was at $1.98 a gallon, and the Brookside Marathon station on West Main Street was at $1.99 a gallon.

Gasoline prices in Ohio have fallen 5.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.06 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 5.9 cents per gallon versus last week to $2.31 per gallon, according to GasBuddy.

Including the change locally during the past week, prices Sunday were 32.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago and are 21.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has dropped 23.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 12.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

“Gas prices broadly continue to move lower across much of the country as oil prices continue to melt away,” said Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “Thirty-one states now are seeing at least one price under $2 per gallon while the most common price seen across the land has dropped to $1.99 per gallon, with over a quarter of stations in the U.S. under that psychologically important level.

“Americans are spending $225 million less every day on gasoline than they did some 75 days ago,” DeHaan added.