Gasoline prices in Iowa remain stable, despite last week’s announcement that OPEC nations plan to cut oil production to drive up prices.
Rose White, spokeswoman for AAA-Iowa, says if there aren’t any major disruptions, gas prices should NOT bounce back up anytime soon. “As long as inventory numbers continue to improve, that should mean that prices should hold at this current level or continue to retreat even further,” White says.
Gasoline prices in Iowa are averaging $2.09 a gallon, down from $2.25 a month ago and $2.53 a year ago. Also, Iowa’s statewide average is 12-cents below the national average. While gas prices are steady, White says diesel prices are creeping upward. White says the demand for diesel fuel is up as the harvest is underway, plus, the holiday season is approaching, bringing a rise to truck traffic as stores stock their shelves in preparation for shoppers.
She says the continued uncertainty in the gasoline situation is pushing some Iowans into shifting their priorities. “The big change in habit we have seen with motorists is not necessarily curbing back on their driving habits but we have seen a change in their purchasing habits for the type of vehicle they plan to drive,” she says.
White says more consumers are buying vehicles that are more fuel-efficient, which prompted Ford’s recent announcement to shut down a few plants where larger cars and trucks are produced.