SAN ANTONIO – Just in time for Thanksgiving road trips, drivers on the northside got a feast for the eyes: gas posted at $2.59 gallon. That was the cash price at the Valero on Loop 1604 at Judson Road.
Prices plunged 12 cents in the past week, 22 cents in the past month.
Pastor Rander Draper, driving to Houston for the holiday, said he’s grateful for that, but prays prices come down even more.
“We’re going to pray them down so that they affect the budget of the average person who won’t have to struggle so hard,” he said.
Drivers can expect the trend to continue.
“The good news is the decrease will likely continue through Thanksgiving and into early December,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior analyst at GasBuddy.com.
Several factors are driving the drop, he said, including COVID shutdowns in China, refineries are back online after fall maintenance, and the price of oil has dropped to levels not seen since before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Right now, while much of the nation still is paying more than ever for holiday road trips, Texas is actually paying a bit less than last year.
“Texas is the cheapest state in the nation when it comes to filling up your tank,” DeHaan said.
The average price locally Tuesday is $2.85 a gallon, according to GasBuddy. While that’s significantly less than June’s $4.67 a gallon threshold, it’s still historically high for this time of year.
To maximize your gas dollar, make sure your tires are properly inflated, remove excess weight from your car and drive the speed limit.
Whatever the price of fuel this Thanksgiving, Draper said it won’t keep him from giving thanks at his holiday gathering.
“No way. No way,” he said. “Nothing like family.”