Pipeline Explosion Impact On Gas Prices

CHARLOTTE, NC– Cab drivers, salesmen, anyone who relies on gas for work in the Charlotte area is already preparing themselves for a gas shortage.

“It’ll make things kinda difficult for me to make sure I get to work and last time I had to kinda search for gas” says Randall Ford who commutes to Charlotte from Statesville.

Monday a Colonial Pipeline which supplies gas to millions in the Carolinas shut down – after a part of it in Alabama was hit by a track hoe causing an explosion.

“Prices are going to go up it’s inevitable, how high they are going to go up I don’t know and how high they are going to stay there only time will tell,” said AAA Carolinas Spokeswoman, Tiffany Wright.

So far Charlotte hasn’t felt the impact of the leak in the gas prices but AAA Carolinas says just looking at the impact from last September’s leak they don’t expect that to last.

“Prices were all over the place they were going up as many as 20 to 30 cents overnight so we hope that doesn’t happen,” said Wright.

AAA Carolinas asks drivers not to panic saying that’s what causes the shortages.

“I don’t see any way around it, everybody else is going to be I want to do what I can to be able to get out and help my customers the best I can,” said Charlotte resident, Jeff Jackson.

And AAA Carolinas says depending how hard the impact and long it lasts it could trick into the holiday season.

” Unfortunately it comes at a time as folks are getting ready for the holiday travel season so we hope it doesn’t impact holiday travel but it could in fact impact holiday travel as gas prices go up,” said Wright.