NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — There is a wide spread between gas price averages in central Kansas, depending on where you go to fill up.
"Reno County is $3.65, Harvey County $3.28, that's a big difference between neighboring counties, Sedgwick County $3.42, Rice County $3.61 and Kingman County $3.71."
In McPherson and Newton, prices are already below $3 a gallon. The best way to figure out if it's worth your time to drive to fill up is to know your car's gas mileage.
"Newer cars can give you at least some reasonable estimate of what your gas mileage is on the dashboard readout," Steward said. "Older cars, you obviously have to do that calculation on your own. Keeping your car in good working shape is important."
If you're already headed to an area with less expensive gas, topping off the tank can help some, but generally, it's not cost effective to travel out of your way solely to buy fuel. Also, the fundamentals behind the prices are dropping, so it appears more relief is coming.
"Back in June, we were looking at $130 a barrel crude oil prices," Steward said. "Today, we're in the mid 90s per barrel, so that significant drop has translated to falling prices at the pumps."
Before the pandemic, the fall would traditionally be a time of lower gasoline demand and therefore lower pump prices overall.