News

Gasoline prices at many tri-county stations surged past the $3.00 mark last week, as gas stations were overrun by worried motorists looking to top off their tanks as reports of shortages spread.

The gas increases followed price spikes on wholesale and futures markets Tuesday, August 30 after the hurricane knocked off-line refineries and pipeline links along the Gulf Coast that provide about a third of the country's gasoline supplies.

The fuel shortage is also affecting Carroll County schools transportation, which operates 49 buses for regular weekday routes and maintains six additional spare buses in the event of breakdowns. All of the buses operate on diesel fuel.

Charlotte Tucker, Carroll County School Superintendent, said the county has enough fuel for one week, with the promise of enough diesel for another week. If the promise holds true, the bus system would be operational for at least two weeks.

"By that time, the situation may have eased," said Tucker.

The county obtains its fuel from Espey Oil Company in Huntingdon, said Tucker, who noted the company was awarded the fuel contract through a bid process.

Allen Espey, who owns the company with his mother, Carolyn Espey, said "it's tight right now. It is hard to get, but so far we've been able to get it."

"I think it will be short term," he said. "We should know more by next week."

Espey said the local shortages are partially occurring because people are panic buying.

"I saw the same thing after 9-11. Everybody is going and filling up everything they have. If people will just work through this, I believe it will get better in another week."

Superintendents from the county's five school districts met Friday with Tucker to discuss a contingency plan in the event the fuel supply is depleted.

During the meeting, it was decided that if fuel supplies are depleted, school would be closed for five days. After the five-day period, if diesel was still unobtainable, schools would resume with no busing.

It was further requested that all school trips be eliminated, except scheduled athletic events and band events.

Further action called for bus transport to be increased from $.75 to $1.00 per mile for each individual school system after September 16. Bus transport includes the cost individual schools pay the county for trips other than transporting children to and from school.

"Gas has gone up so much that we had to increase it to $1.00 per mile," said Tucker, who noted the combined cost of fuel and maintenance necessitated the move.

Speaking of fuel prices, Tucker said the county school district is now spending as much in a week as it did in a month in 2003. Running the school buses requires 102,485 gallons of diesel per year, or on average of 3,175 gallons daily.

"Everything costs more - tires, oil, everything petroleum based," she added.

Espey said the oil companies are allocating fuel to the distributors, meaning they are limiting the amount of fuel that can be purchased. Along with the county, Espey provides gas to area farmers and local gas stations.

So far, he said he has also been able to supply the farmers what they need to continue operating.

County Mayor Kenny McBride said the highway department has suspended paving because of the scarcity of diesel.

Government officials have been authorized to use the red-dye fuel set aside for agricultural producers, said McBride. The red dye signifies no tax has been paid on the fuel. Dyed diesel fuel is sold at approximately 43 cents per gallon cheaper than clear diesel fuel because it is sold without the state and federal tax.

"But this is not the time to use that," he said. "That's not the government's place to take fuel from the farmers who need to get their crops out."

McBride said hopefully within 30 days there will be some reprieve in the supply and resultant cost.

At McKenzie stations, many owners and managers were changing signs Thursday to $2.98 or $2.99 for regular and more than $3.00 for premium, while plus, a medium grade blended gas, was priced somewhere in between.

As the prices rose last week, so did the ire of many gas customers.

"The Arab nations are shafting our nation and our president is letting them get away with this." John Westbrook, a nurse anesthetist from Cookeville, who was filling up at a local station last week. "Had the Arabs been more fair with gas prices, America might have developed more economical Hybrid vehicles. Now, they are going to get all they can price wise."

Another gas purchaser, Michael Okray from McKenzie, said "I'm taking fuel to my mother-in-law in Columbia, Mississippi. The government is helping in metro areas, but not the folks that live in small towns.

Okray rented a U-haul and had a generator and several gas containers prepared for transport.

"We are having a little trouble getting gas from the terminals," said Pockets Convenience Store Manager Jerry Perry, who noted the station has two 12,000 gallon storage tanks. Keenan Transport delivers the fuel from terminals in Nashville or Paducah.

"Last night we ran out of regular about 8 o'clock, but we got another truck during the night," he said.

Perry noted people are complaining some about the prices, but most are just glad to be able to get it.

He stated that "drive-offs," (people leaving without paying) have not been too bad here.

"We have one occasionally," he said. "A lot of places have come to pre-pay, I hope we don't have that here, because most people don't know in advance how much gas it will take to fill their vehicles."

Wallace Todd, owner of Race Way Vittles & Videos said prices there rose to $2.99, because that's as high as his and many of the other local convenience store pumps would register.

"We were selling plus and premium both at $2.99," he said.

Todd said his store ran out of regular gas on Thursday and plus on Friday. The store's fuel is transported from Paducah or Memphis by Raceway Corporation, he said.

However, a shipment of regular and premium was received Saturday morning. On Tuesday, regular was selling for $2.97 and premium at $2.99.

On Thursday, Todd made the decision to limit gas purchases to private vehicles only. Requests to fill gasoline containers were denied in order to conserve fuel for those needing it to get to their jobs, he said.

Gas prices have continually climbed since 2002, according to Gannett News Service. In 2002, the average price was $1.39, in 2003, $1.58; in 2004, $1.88 and 2005, $2.60.

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