TOLEDO, Ohio — Gas prices across the Toledo area are 36 cents higher than they were a year ago, according to GasBuddy.
Those who traveled for Thanksgiving may have noticed differing prices in different cities in Ohio, and even northwest Ohio.
"Sometimes when you get up by Maumee and Perrysburg its just a little bit cheaper but by then I have already gotten gas so I don't really get to reap that reward," Toledoan Lorie Kaczmarek said.
GasBuddy's head of petroleum analysis, Patrick De Haan, said competition drives prices and some stations just don't change as quickly as others. But everyone should be seeing cheaper gas prices soon.
"The price of oil has plummeted in recent weeks because of several challenges pushing oil prices to their lowest level since January," De Haan said. "In the U.S., refinery maintenance work has generally wrapped up and boosted production of things like gasoline and diesel. In addition, oil prices have seen a little bit of downward movement as the Biden administration has approved Venezuela to export oil."
De Haan said anyone traveling over the next few weeks is in luck.
"Gas prices have fallen about 23 cents a gallon over the last month, a trend that will continue," he said. "And I think that by Christmas we could be seeing gas prices lower this year than they were last year. Of course, that is contingent based on nothing dramatic and unexpected happening over the next few weeks."
Some drivers in and nearby northwest Ohio have already noticed the change, seeing lower prices in other cities and other states.
Chaise Boehmer, from southeast Michigan, said is looking forward to Ohio feeling some relief at the pump.
"It will be a lot easier to travel ... and not worry about so much coming out of our pockets," Boehmer said.