Gas Prices Still Rising Across Tri-State
SECAUCUS, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Gas prices are continuing their series of daily increases across the Tri-State.
"It's very annoying. I travel 28 miles back and forth so I'm going to suffer this summer and this fall," said Ginger Reilly of Middlesex.
"I have no choice. It's expensive. I have to get to work, commute, see customers, go out. What are you going to do?" said Seth Larrabue of Greenwich.
In New Jersey, known for its cheap fuel, the average price per gallon for regular gas is now $3.61. In New York, it's $3.96.
1010 WINS' Stan Brooks has more on the price spikes on gasoline and even food.
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Connecticut drivers have it worst, with the average price for regular at almost four dollars a gallon.
Prices across our area rose about a dollar over this time last year.
New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez said New Jersey families will spend on average 28 percent more this year over last year to go to the beach and $380 more to commute to New York.
He said someone driving from Cherry Hill to Philadelphia will shell out an extra $130.
"I used to fill it up with $20 and now I need $40," said Helen Katechis of Secaucus.
Work is close to home for her, so gas for her car doesn't cost too much. But she told us it's taking a toll on the catering business she owns with her husband.
"We have a lunch truck. We've had it for 29 years and these past few years have been worse. Now when it was time for us to retire," she lamented.
Doreen Giordano only has about a 15 minute commute in the morning from Secaucus to Rutherford.
"Yes I'm lucky because I really don't have far to go, but I have a daughter who takes the car out at night so when I get in, in the morning, it's on E," she said.
"So it's on mom?" CBS 2's Kristin Thorne joked.
"Yes, on mom," Giordano laughed.
Oil experts said problems in Libya in particular have forced speculators to push up the price of fuel, but it's hard for drivers here to accept that problems thousands of miles away could be fueling so much pain here at home.
"Right now this is the first time in several years speculators actually have a valid reason to gamble the price higher because of unrest in the Middle East," said Sal Risalvato of the N.J. Gasoline Retailers Association.
"I don't understand politics in the Middle East. I don't know really know," said Jonathan Tropper of New Rochelle.
Is the pain at the pump changing your driving habits? Sound off in our comments section.
