Consumer 6 Gas Gauge Report

The summer travel season officially kicks off this weekend. People will be spending much more money to drive to their Memorial Day getaway than they did last year.<br><br>Prices are holding steady at

Monday, May 22nd 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The summer travel season officially kicks off this weekend. People will be spending much more money to drive to their Memorial Day getaway than they did last year.

Prices are holding steady at most area gas stations, $1.45 at Git n'Go, Quik Trip, and Phillips 66.

The price of gas is a little lower is out east of Tulsa at the Flying J Truck Stop, 129th East Avenue and Admiral Place. The price is $1.41. Gas is also a $1.44 up the street at Curt's Oil, 11th Street and 129th East Avenue.

The Stop Inn, 5th Street and Utica Avenue, gas prices are higher this week, at $1.42.

Even stations whose gas prices have been consistently lower are above $1.40 this week. In fact, gas prices are about 40 to 50 cents higher than they were this time last year.

The American Automobile Association says there are two main reasons for the hike in prices. First, the price of crude oil is up about $10 a barrel. The second reason is basic supply and demand. "We're going into the summer travel season and we're going to see a huge number of people traveling," said >> A-A-A of Oklahoma's Rick Bickford. "I'm sure the marketers of this world are saying, 'Hey, this is an opportunity.' We have a large demand, a shortage of supply, bring the prices up."

Bickford predicts gas prices won't go much higher, but says they remain for most of the summer.

Oklahomans are still paying less than most people in the rest of the country. The national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $1.54.