According to AAA, the US national average for gas is at a high of $4.17 per gallon, which is expected to break records. As of today, the average price per gallon of gas in Texas, according to AAA data, is $3.85, just slightly under the national average. This current standard is expected to last longer than usual given the current Russian war on Ukraine and the announcement of a ban on Russian oil imports from President Biden.

In Lufkin, one store operator said the current price of $3.99 at his particular station was set by his supplier two days ago, and that it is not expected to go back down anytime soon. As the prices rise, people are unhappy and finding it harder to cope with the money they have to shell out at the pump.

“Prices man, they are kind of outrageous,” said Quenton Driver. “I’ve seen one day that it was $3 and then the next day $4. I’m pretty sure everybody around here in Lufkin has seen it, so gas prices are going to keep going up.”

“To be honest, I mean $4 a gallon? I mean it doesn’t even get here that fast so I don’t understand why it’s going up overnight,” said Tyler Pyle.

“It is not fun,” said business owner Lynn Nerren. “I run a business and have to pull a trailer almost everyday and it makes it ten times harder. It’s about to cost me $100 to fill up my suburban and it used to cost me $50.”

“Well, I just drive as less as I can, and if I can’t go then I can’t go,” said Ray Jones.

Written By: Sevrin Lavenstein for KLTV/KTRE Lufkin, Texas