Delivery driver feeling impact of rising gas prices across Kansas City area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It wouldn’t be a summertime holiday without an increase at the gas pump.

AAA predicts more than 70 million Americans will travel for the holiday season, with 60.5 million of them traveling on our highways. Those are both said to be records.

They’ll be among the consumers forced to pay more for gasoline. AAA says that number of travelers is up by three million from a year ago, and breaks records set before the pandemic.

A spokesperson for AAA said gas expenses in the Kansas City metro have jumped by 17 cents in about a week.

“Our rates are staying the same. Gas prices are going up,” Sarah Slaven, a delivery driver with Waldo Pizza, said on Friday.

On her busiest weekend, Slaven said she drove 144 miles. Slaven, who has worked for Waldo Pizza for three years, takes note of the ups and downs at the gas pumps.

FOX4 visited three metro convenience stores on Friday, all of which had posted prices at $3.19 per gallon.

AAA shared these average gas costs on Friday:

Kansas City – $3.16
Missouri – $3.15
Kansas – $3.16
National – $3.50

“I used to be able to fill up my tank with 30 or 35 dollars. Now, it’s more like 40 or 45 dollars, and the delivery fees stay the same,” Slaven added.

Fuel analysts blame rising crude oil costs. AAA spokesperson Don Redman said the demand for gas this summer has been lower than in recent years, but drivers should still be prepared to pay.

“It’s very possible people could see prices similar to what we saw this time last year. They may stabilize a little bit lower, but if I’m budgeting, I’m budgeting three and a quarter for a gallon of gasoline,” Redman said.

Redman said he doesn’t see these gas prices coming down before the summer travel season wraps up around Labor Day.