Community Corner
Gas Price Roundup: No Relief In Sight
Gas prices up again; average price up 45 cents per gallon from beginning of April
Gas prices around Manchester have surged to an average of $3.81 for a gallon of regular, a 14-cent increase over what locals were paying last Friday.
Prices have continued an upward trend the entire month, as the average local cost at the start of April was $3.36 a gallon, meaning Manchester and Lakehurst residents are now paying on average 45 cents more per gallon that they did at the start of the month.
In spite of the rise in gas prices, local stations are not seeing an increase to their bottom line, said Rick Reineke, owner of Circle Gas on the Route 37-70 circle in Lakehurst.
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“We’re making less money, things are costing us more, and our profit margins are smaller,” he said.
Reineke said he "[hasn't] got a clue" about how high prices will climb in the summer months.
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"Nobody does," he said. "It’s up to the speculators and the oil companies.”
, one analyst said recently, has been driving prices up.
Unlike previous weeks where local gas price averages came out ahead of state and national averages, the gap seems to be narrowing.
The local average of $3.81 a gallon is virtually on par with the state average of $3.82 for a gallon of regular, according to AAA.
The national average for a gallon of regular is $3.91, AAA reported.
Check out the local gas prices right here so you know where to shop to get the best deal. All prices are as of mid morning on Friday, April 29.
- Exxon – Route 37 and Commonwealth Boulevard, Manchester: $3.83 regular, $3.99 plus, $4.09 premium.
- Circle Service – Route 37 and Route 70 circle, Lakehurst: $3.89 regular, $3.97 plus, $4.19 premium.
- Gulf – Route 70 and Route 547 (Center Street), Lakehurst: $3.82 regular, $3.92 plus, $4.01 premium.
- Wawa – Route 70 and Route 539, Manchester: $3.78 regular, $3.88 plus, $3.98 premium.
- Jersey Gas – Route 530 and Station Road, Whiting: $3.78 regular, $3.88 plus, $3.98 premium.
- Quick Chek – Route 70 and Route 571, Manchester: $3.75 regular, $3.89 plus, $3.99 premium.
As of Friday, April 29, all stations were charging the same for both cash and credit purchases.
