GasBuddy issued the following announcement on Dec. 30
If there is one word to describe the turmoil gas prices put us through this year, it’s ROLLERCOASTER. From a low national average of under $2.25 per gallon at the start of the year, to the highest Christmas gas prices ever recorded, it’s safe to say that 2021 brought unexpected, and unwanted, surprises to drivers at the pump.
From the Colonial Pipeline cyber attack to rumors of truck driver shortages to record-breaking prices at the pump, 2021 has wreaked havoc on many Americans’ wallets. Let’s take a look back at some of the craziest gas price events this year. (Make sure to read until the end for some money-saving tips!)
GAS PRICE TRENDS 2021
MARCH – FOR THE FIRST TIME, PRICES BEGIN TO RISE
In late February and March, drivers began to see the end of low, pandemic-induced gas prices. Things started to heat up as cold weather limited refinery capacity and OPEC kept production cuts despite rising gasoline demand.
MAY – COLONIAL PIPELINE CYBER ATTACK
On May 7, 2021, the Colonial Pipeline was the victim of a cyber attack. The pipeline originates in Houston, Texas and carries gasoline supply to much of the Southeastern United States. With the pipeline offline, many drivers faced gas shortages, unable to fill their tanks. GasBuddy activated its Fuel Availability Tracker to help drivers find gas in an emergency. Read more about it here.
MAY – GAS PRICES RISE OVER $3/GAL – FIRST TIME SINCE 2014
In the midst of the pipeline cyber attack, the national average price of a gallon of gas in the United States rose to over $3 per gallon for the first time since 2014. This hadn’t been seen since David Letterman still hosted Late Night, Pharrell’s hat was introduced to the world, and Kim and Kanye got hitched. Many factors contributed to rising gas prices, but the main contributor was increased demand – the beginning of summer travel season. The nation had begun to recover from Covid-19, and drivers were determined to get back out on the roads.
AUGUST – HURRICANE IDA SLAMS LOUISIANA
Just as things began to settle down, Hurricane Ida set its sights on the coast of Louisiana. Many in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette and other cities were without gasoline for weeks on end. The GasBuddy Fuel Availability Tracker again helped communities find gasoline in order to be able to evacuate and power their homes.
OCTOBER – SAN FRANCISCO SETS NEW RECORD GAS PRICE FOR THE US
In late October, as many Americans were feeling the impacts of seasonally high gas prices, San Francisco set a new all time record for the highest gas price in the United States, at $4.75 per gallon. The previous record was set 3,300 days prior, at $4.73 per gallon in 2012. While California gas prices are typically above average, this milestone was indicative of the unusual gas price hikes that dominated 2021.
NOVEMBER – THANKSGIVING GAS PRICES NEAR HIGHEST EVER
As more drivers hit the road for Thanksgiving weekend this year, some decided to slam on the brakes due to high gas prices. A GasBuddy survey revealed that even LESS Americans were planning on driving this year than in 2020’s pandemic lockdowns. Those who did hit the road faced some of the highest gas prices on the holiday ever.
DECEMBER – HIGHEST GAS PRICE ON CHRISTMAS DAY EVER RECORDED
To round out the year, 2021 set a new record for the highest gas price ever recorded on Christmas Day. By about two-tenths of a penny, at $3.26 per gallon, the national average on Christmas Day surpassed the previous record set in 2013.
We all lived through it. Gas prices are high right now, especially compared to 2020 lows. No one wants to be paying full price for gas, but there’s good news. You don’t have to! Here’s an easy tip to save some money now and into the New Year: sign up for our free gas card, Pay with GasBuddy. You can save up to 25¢/gal and get cents off on every single fill up.
Original source can be found here.
Source: GasBuddy
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