Central Ohioans respond to near record high gas prices

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Four dollars for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is now a reality in central Ohio, inching closer to the record high prices set in 2008.

According to AAA, the average price in Ohio is $3.83 per gallon, up 50 cents from a week prior, but still below the national average of $4.06 per gallon. The group recorded a record-high average price of $4.16 in Ohio in May 2008.

Several gas stations in and around Columbus were charging $3.99 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas.

Ziyad Barsh, who manages the Sunoco station at the corner of North High and East Hudson streets in Columbus lowered his prices from $3.95 per gallon to $3.75 Monday morning in an effort to attract more business.

"It's helped," he said after business was initially slower.

Shahrooz Ghadami keeps his food truck parked in the Sunoco lot most of the time, he said, moving it only for special events.

Unlike Barsh, Ghadami said he had to raise his prices a dollar per item because of the rising cost of fuel.

“(It's) not only affecting putting gas in the truck. It’s affecting the prices on foods, on everything. That’s something that’s affecting the whole business,” Ghadami said.

“It just decrease (sic) the sales because customers can't afford to come on (a) daily basis," he added.

Associate professor Jeff Bielicki is the lead researcher at Ohio State University's Sustainability Institute. He keeps an eye on the energy market and the things that influence it.

"I think we need to understand that there are complicated determinants of gas prices. At any point in time, there's no one single cause leading to effect,” Bielicki said.

According to Bielicki, causes include higher demand for travel this spring -- especially with the lifting of covid-related restrictions, ongoing supply chain issues, and Russia's violent invasion of Ukraine.

“The United States and European allies have been cautious to sanction oil production, in part because of the ripple effects through the global economy," Bielicki said. "Part of what I think you're seeing more recently is due to the reaction to the probability, I'd say, that there will be sanctions.”

Bielicki said he "would not be surprised" if gas prices continue to climb before they start to go down.

The U.S. and other countries said last week they’d release 60 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves in an effort to provide some relief at the gas pump.

Bielicki does not expect the move to have a significant impact on gas prices, he said, considering the U.S. alone consumes about 20 million barrels of crude oil per day.