Gas was a mere 19 cents a gallon when Barbara Nolen learned to drive in 1953.
Over the decades, Nolen has watched gas prices creep up in the Chattanooga area.
“In the ’70s I would drive my kids to school and gas had risen to 23 cents,” she said. “And it just kept rising.”
Last year at this time, gas prices hovered around $3 a gallon, but on Wednesday, Nolen filled up her car with gas listed at $1.96 a gallon.
At several service stations in the Chattanooga area, people waited in line to pump the cheapest gas they’d seen in more than five years.
Gas prices dropped to $1.96 a gallon at the Sam’s Club on Lee Highway and at Costco in Fort Oglethorpe. The price was listed at $1.99 a gallon at Murphy Express and Murphy USA stations, according to GasBuddy.com.
Among all service stations, Chattanooga gas prices, on average, fell another 2 cents to $2.25 a gallon, according to a survey by AAA. Today’s average price is down 29 cents a gallon from a month ago and 82 cents a gallon below the price at the pump a year ago.
Chattanooga gas prices average 25 cents a gallon less than the U.S. average, AAA surveys show.
The drop in the price of gas below $2 by Christmas was anticipated by many oil pricing experts.
Fred Rozell, director of retail pricing at Oil Price Information Service, previously told the Times Free Press that he expects 2015 pump prices to be below 2014 averages.
“The overall national average [in 2015] will probably peak around $3.15 or $3.20,” Rozell said.
In July, before prices began their precipitous drop, the average price of gas nationally was $3.60 per gallon, according to AAA.
Gas prices affect Nathaniel Roshell; he has been a taxi cab driver in Chattanooga for 23 years.
As he filled up his Mercury Cab Service mini-van Wednesday at Murphy Express on Lee Highway, he said low prices mean increased savings.
“Right now I can’t even add the savings up. Just wow!” he said with a grin.
Mike Wooden said when he walked into Sam’s Club with his wife to do some shopping on Wednesday gas was listed at $2.08. By the time he and his wife were checking out, the clerk told them that the price had fallen to $1.96.
“I filled up my truck, which used to cost about $90, and this time was $42,” Wooden said.
The price was so good he drove his truck home to East Ridge, then jumped in his daughter’s car and drove it back to the pump.
“Cheap gas drives the economy,” he said. “It makes me more likely to drive to grandma’s … and buy grandma an extra present this Christmas.”
Staff writer Alex Green contributed to this story.
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6592.
| Lowest Gas Prices in Chattanooga |
| Chattanooga Gas Prices provided by GasBuddy.com |