Desert Gas Prices See Significant Rise Over Weekend

"I’m losing, as of probably today for my first fill up at the new prices, as much as $15 per fill up." Tim Tyler has been a driver for multiple rideshare companies for the past eight years. In that time, he says he has never seen gas prices this high. "I’ve never seen it like this" Tyler explained. "I remember thinking, I wonder if it’ll get over $4, and if so, how much would it go over $4? It shot right through $4 and right now we are up into the $5’s. I haven’t filled up yet at $5 but I’m about to do that." Data from GasBuddy, an app and website that shows current local and national gas prices, shows prices in the desert range from $4.66 to over $5.00. But, you won’t see these prices only in the valley. The national average price of a gallon of gasoline has now hit over $4.00. That’s the highest it has been since July of 2008. But, why now? In part because of glocal uncertainty and volatility in the markets. Russia is a major exporter of oil, and because of the war overseas, people like Tyler who rely on cars for their job, are feeling its effects here at home. "If they feel like I do and go from about $35 per fill up to $50 in an overnight basis, how is that not going to affect us? And everybody else like us? I can’t choose to drive less. I’m just going to have to go out and pay for it no matter what it is." According to GasBuddy, the average price of gas will likely set a new all-time record within a day.