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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Gas nationwide is now averaging $5 a gallon, a record high for the country.
With summer travel underway, many are starting to feel the effects on their wallets.
“I went down to Birmingham, Alabama to be with my son’s family, and my grandson flew in from Richmond, Virginia to be with us,” said driver Larry Kasey. “I prefer driving, so the gas prices affect how far I go and what I do overnight.”
Gas prices aren’t just putting a damper on summer travel plans, but are also affecting people’s jobs.
“I’m a delivery driver. So for me, it affects me probably more than anybody else, because I’m using gas every hour of every day that I’m at work,” said Connor Jolly. “It cost me like, almost double what it cost me for a full tank these days. That’s making me have a lot of struggles paying even just little things off as much as I used to.”
Jolly said that, while he does get some compensation for his gas mileage, it’s becoming moot as prices increase.
“I get a decent mileage in my car and I still only make about like 50 cents to $1 per gallon for a gallon of gas,” Jolly said. “$5 gallon, I’m making almost no money.”
AAA says the average gas price in Kentucky is $4.79 a gallon.
Warren County is averaging $4.77 a gallon, Barren County is at $4.79, Logan County is at $4.64, and Allen County is averaging $4.72 a gallon for gas.
“It was always kind of rough, but it’s definitely a lot worse now,” Jolly said. “I think it needs to be looked at and needs to be dealt with somehow because it is becoming a serious problem.”
Kasey says Kroger and other places that offer gas discounts have been helpful during this time. He also says solutions are available for the gas problem, but knowing which to use is the issue.
“I think that solutions are all around us. It’s just a matter of knowing which one to choose,” Kasey said. “I know it takes a while for the United States to gear up. But we should be a little more self-sufficient and not depend on other countries.”
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