American Automobile Association-era of cheap oil gone forever

Record High Gas Prices

Mark Stine KOLD News 13 Reporter
Posted: 3-5-05

“It’s kind of depressing, it seems like it’s never going to stop because people keep paying it,” Mark Rasmussen said.

Tucson drivers go crazy over predicted higher gas prices.

“Everyone has to drive to get to what they’re doing, it really disappoints me,” Rasmussen told KOLD News 13.

Analysts say Tucsonans could pay 25 cents more per gallon over the next few weeks.

“We don’t want motorists to panic and think there’s going to be a spike overnight.” Yvette Lopez with AAA-Arizona says expect to pay more, but not for some time. “Expect gas prices to increase, maybe 25 cents in a few months, but in two weeks it’s just not going to happen.”

The rising price at the pump comes straight from the climb in crude oil prices. This week, the cost of oil reached a record high, more than $55 a barrel.

“Probably the era of cheap oil, as we’ve known it, where a barrel of crude oil was $29 or $30 is gone forever,” Robert Sinclair with American Automobile Association said.

The average Arizona price per gallon of unleaded gas reached a record high last may at $2.15. “We will definitely exceed that record, probably within this month or in the next month to come,” Lopez said.

So far this year Tucson drivers have seen gas go up 15 per gallon, but triple a says don’t expect to see 3 dollars a gallon anytime soon. “We still think it’s a little dramatic to say we’re going to see three dollar prices. It’s not going to happen this year,” Lopez told KOLD News 13.

While Tim Escobedo says he understands why, he hopes he won’t be paying $50 or $60 dollars more a month to drive around town. “We know as we use the resources, prices are going to continue to go up.”

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