Soaring Prices At The Pump Affecting Commuters, Ride-Share Drivers & Truckers
NORTH MIAMI (CBSMiami) – At a Costco in North Miami, gas prices are moving higher with experts warning another 10-15 cent hike per gallon is well within the realm of possibility.
With the price of gas up roughly 44-cents per gallon in just the last five days, it's likely South Florida could break an all-time high price of $4.12 per gallon set back in 2008.
The ripple effect soaring gas prices have on the economy is already being felt, with some drivers already making personal sacrifices to save money to pay for their gasoline.
"Drink less bottled water because it costs more than gas," said one driver.
Another driver said, "Sometimes I buy dessert, but now I don't, which is good because I can lose weight at same time."
AAA offers these tips for gas savings:
- Combine errands to limit driving time.
- Shop around for the best gas prices in your community.
- Consider paying cash. Some retailers charge extra per gallon for customers who pay with a credit card.
Ride-share drivers are also among those affected by soaring fuel prices. Some are already starting to say it's not worth driving anymore, with concern growing alongside those steep gas prices.
Uber driver Augusta Barboza told CBS4 News, "It's really rough because it's our economy. It's our livelihood. Gas prices have doubled and they say it could triple. And the fares aren't going any higher. God, I hope they do something. For starters, this war has to end."
To try to stop the hemorrhaging, both Uber and Lyft are pairing with an app called GetUpside, which is designed to help ride-share drivers save money at the pump.
Harry Hartfield, an Uber spokesperson, told CBS4 in a statement:
"We know higher prices at the pump is a challenge, which is why we recently launched a new feature that helps drivers save up to 25¢ per gallon through cash back with GetUpSide. Our platform only works if it works for drivers, so we'll continue to monitor gas prices and listen to drivers over the coming weeks."
Meanwhile, Zach Greenberger, head of strategic business development and global supply management at Lyft, submitted a statement of his own:
"This program makes it easy for drivers to know where to get the best cashback savings on gas, meaning more of the money they earn with Lyft can stay in their pockets."
Other professional drivers are being impacted too, namely long-haul truck drivers.
The CEO of Fort Lauderdale-based First Class Trucking explained, "What we've been seeing is a spike in fuel prices. The lowest we've seen is about five dollars per gallon across the board. My drivers are currently experiencing higher fuel prices, which is requiring us to be at the pumps more. On average, at five dollars a gallon, we're filling up about 250-300 gallons per truck."
A full tank will take his trucks roughly 1200 to 1400 miles.
