It’s only been about a month since the president made the nation’s gas prices a central talking point in his race for reelection.
And while gas prices have fallen fairly steadily since early October, some destinations and gas station operators are still enjoying a golden era:
Among the most significant declines, gas prices have dropped at Costco’s 105 U.S. gas stations by as much as 4 cents per gallon at some locations, according to GasBuddy data. However, that price drop has not been good news for Costco. It has announced plans to close a dozen of its 91 gas stations in California, Oregon and Washington.
And while Walmart price check shows a similar drop at some of its U.S. stations — some by as much as 2 cents per gallon — it’s not receiving the same boost from that decline as Costco, which has been experiencing a gas slump since early October. Instead, Walmart is the recipient of the gain thanks to its January 2017 agreement to purchase e-commerce company Jet.com.
Price cuts at some Costco locations are still evident, with costs at many falling below $3 per gallon, and some less than $2.50, according to GasBuddy data. However, that isn’t the case at all Costco’s international locations, where prices tend to vary widely between locations and can change in a matter of minutes, Gizmodo reported.
Gas prices in the Northeast are slightly higher than the national average, according to GasBuddy data.
In some cases, however, prices at gas stations are more than $1 per gallon higher than their neighboring stations.
At some Walmart locations, according to GasBuddy, pump prices can jump by as much as $1 at the end of the day.
Some metro areas are not immune to this phenomenon.
In Portland, Maine, where costs can vary at gas stations as much as $1 per gallon, prices can double overnight, depending on the time of day.
Metro Detroit is another example, with gas stations in high-priced Flint and Grand Rapids reportedly charging $4 per gallon or more.