As of June 2, the national average for a gallon of gas was $4.72, the highest on record, according to AAA. We spoke to eight drivers at a gas station in Long Island City, Queens, about how the price surge is affecting their lives.
Anthony Milazzo, 32, carpenter: “I bought a house four years ago and I was maintaining for two-and-a-half years, easily. But I’d say gas — along with other things — have made it a struggle for me now. I was already working 40 hours a week, but I told my boss to let me know if there’s anything I can pick up. I’d say gas has a lot to do with it. I went from filling up my tank for $60 to probably about $110.”
Emmy Cusati, 29, Uber driver: “I do Uber for work. With the gas prices – it’s horrible. It doesn’t work anymore.”
Cusati: “I’m looking for another job. It’s too much for gas, and I don’t make enough doing the job. I spend $80 filling it up. I come to this gas station because the one down the way costs even more.”
Ed Pilnik, 64, truck driver: “I deliver extra-large packages for a living — dishwashers, refrigerators, air-conditioners. My boss pays for the gas. I don’t actually see what people pay for their deliveries, but I imagine they pass it on to the customer.”
-Kit Yeung, 44, owns and operates a martial arts gym: “It really affects my daily decisions on whether I should drive my car or use my scooter. I have an electric scooter. I started noticing this about two months ago with the whole Ukraine crisis.”
Nick Prueher, 46, comedian: “I don’t feel the increase that much. I was at a gas station two weeks ago and another guy pulled up in a Prius — which is what I have — and he was like, ‘We both made the best decisions of our lives by getting a hybrid.’ I bought it for environmental reasons back in the day. I paid more for a used Prius than for a nonhybrid car, but it really insulates you from high gas prices.”
Mason Nayyar, 24, musician and retail: “It just cost me $75 to fill up. It used to cost $40 to 50. I can’t do as much as I used to. I’m restricted to the most important things.”
Nayyar: “My girlfriend and I wanted to do a road trip this summer, but it’s going to be a lot harder. It’s going to be twice as expensive.”
Boris Derow, 50, performer: “I’m from Alberta, Canada. I moved here at the end of July. When I first moved, gas was cheap in the States. Now it’s equal. It cost me $46.37 to fill it up just now. That is the upper limit of what I feel comfortable paying. If it goes over $50, that’s outrageous because this car’s tank is so small.”
Jennifer Herard-Tsiagbey, 36, public policy researcher: “We don’t drive much, so it’s not terrible. There was that spike when the war first started, but then it went down a little bit. It seems like it’s higher now and nobody’s talking about it.”
Herard-Tsiagbey: “I don’t know if it’s just inflation. This is the highest I’ve seen it. Almost $5. Good thing we’re not going very far.”
