The numbers are climbing again, but for many Alabama drivers, the impact isn’t measured on a roadside sign, it’s felt in real time at the pump.
) - The numbers are climbing again, but for many Alabama drivers, the impact isn’t measured on a roadside sign, it’s felt in real time at the pump.
Gas prices across the state have jumped roughly 20 cents in just one week, pushing the average price for a gallon of regular to $3.97, according to AAA. While that remains below the national average of $4.45, the sudden increase is forcing drivers to rethink their routines, and, in some cases, their budgets.
“Usually, well, now with the increase of the gas price, probably between $40 and $45,” said Megan Baird when discussing how much she spends to fill up her car with gas. “When the prices were cheaper, probably around $30. ”“Everything in life is more expensive these days, so it wasn’t a surprise,” Baird said.
“I mean, honestly, if you look at what’s going on in the news and you kind of just think about what’s going on in life, you know that gas prices were bound to increase at some point. ”For Baird, cutting back elsewhere has become part of the routine.
“I have to have gas to drive my vehicle, to get anywhere, to do my life,” she said. “So, it’s just a part of life. You just sacrifice other things right now. ”“I think right now, I’m just going to go by what I need,” Baird said.
“And just, you know, it might be more trips, more frequent trips, but, you know, less paying trips. ”“Yeah. Yeah. I just pumped gas not but maybe a week and a half ago,” said Matthew Merkel.
“I haven’t been traveling too much, and it was, I think, $3.70. So, jump up before. ”Merkel said he typically fills up every week and a half to two weeks but recognizes the strain others may feel.
“Thankfully, no,” Merkel said when asked if the increase significantly affects him financially. “But I definitely know that, like, for most people, that’s kind of their indicator for when there’s a problem that needs to be fixed or something going on. Because that’s what most people talk about. ”“I mean, I budget everything.
Me and my wife budget, so that’s one thing,” Merkel said.
“If you know how much, if you’re working a regular job, you know how much gas you’re expected to pay per month, definitely budget that out. Because that’s a necessity. ”“If you don’t know how much you spend on gas, then you won’t know how big of an impact it is when it increases like this until it actually hits your bank account pretty hard,” Merkel said.
AAA Alabama spokesperson Sheri Falk said the recent spike is being driven by a mix of seasonal demand and global factors.
“Yeah, just in a week, we’re up 22 cents. The average now for a gallon of gas is $3.97 here in Alabama,” Falk said.
“Of course, that’s lower than the national average, which is what we typically see because of our proximity to the Gulf Coast refineries. ”“Basically, always this time of year, we see gas prices go up,” she said.
“It starts with the spring break travel season, then it goes into Memorial Day and that summer travel season. And those are those peak times when people are out on the roads and really traveling. ”“And then, of course, what’s happening in the Middle East really doesn’t help at all either,” Falk said.
“We haven’t seen gas prices this high since 2022, and that was when the start of the Ukraine and Russia war happened,” Falk said. “But they’re not even as high as they were in 2022, but they’re pretty close.
” In this photo released by Tasnim News Agency, a Revolutionary Guard Navy speedboat approaches the cargo ship Epaminondas during what state media described as the seizure of one of two vessels accused of violations in the Strait of Hormuz, April 21, 2026. Despite rising prices, Falk said drivers still have some control over what they pay.
“So, gas prices are out of our control, but what is in our control is where you shop, where you purchase gas, and, you know, shop around,” she said. “You can always use the“Gas prices are really up to the owner of the gas station,” Falk said. “So, there’s not a standard that’s across the board that everybody just follows.
”“Stations near high-traffic areas or interstates, those are usually going to be the areas where you see gas prices are higher, and that’s due to convenience,” Falk said. With summer travel season approaching, experts say demand is expected to keep prices elevated in the months ahead, leaving drivers to continue adjusting one fill-up at a time. Infant formula recalled after testing finds toxins linked to foodborne illnessAlabama files emergency motion seeking to use previous state Senate map for 2026
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