COLUMBUS – Rising gasoline demand has decreased gasoline inventories across the country, leading to higher prices at the pump to start the work week.
The average price in Columbus Monday morning was $2.42 a gallon in Monday’s survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX Inc. That is 12 cents higher than a week ago and nearly a quarter a gallon more than on May 5, but much less expensive than this date in 2016, when the price was $2.66 a gallon.
The statewide average of about $2.35 a gallon was up from $2.29 a week ago but 26 cents cheaper than a year ago.
AAA has predicted that summer travel could increase fuel demand and decrease inventories, potentially leading to higher gas prices. They say consumers can expect to see summer gasoline prices potentially return to the high prices seen in April, when the national average for a gallon of gasoline was $2.42.
The national average basically held steady at about $2.38 per gallon on Monday, up two pennies compared with the average at this time last year.