The World Daily
More than 30 million Americans will hit the road. There may be a shortage of fuel in some places

Photo:EPA

 

The World Daily | News Desk           MAY  29th   2021

 

The price of fuel in the United States is at its highest in seven years. A gallon (less than four litres) costs over three dollars. The media are alarming that fuel shortages may appear in some places. The long weekend of Monday's Remembrance Day has begun in the US - 34 million Americans are expected to travel.

 

The last Monday of May is celebrated in the United States as National Memorial Day. On this day Americans remember and worship soldiers who died on various fronts around the world. The extended weekend is associated with increased traffic on the roads.

Americans traditionally visit relatives and friends on the occasion of Memorial Day. It is estimated that 34 million Americans will hit the road this year. Such estimates were presented by the ABC TV station, which from Friday also urges viewers to make sure that fuel is available in the region they intend to visit before leaving.

At gas stations, drivers can expect the highest price per gallon (3.78 litres) in seven years. An average of $ 3.04 a gallon was paid on Friday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). This is $ 1.08 more than in the corresponding period of last year, although the lower demand at that time should be corrected, which was related to the sanitary and epidemiological situation in the country. The Americans then cut back on irrelevant journeys and stayed at home.

The related situation, combined with the price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia, meant that on April 19, 2020, the price of a produced barrel of crude oil temporarily fell below zero, which resulted in a reduction in retail prices at gas stations.

After a year, the situation changed radically. Due to the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and the decline in new infections, the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention have loosened epidemic restrictions, the economy has opened up and the accompanying recovery has occurred. 

 

These factors encourage travel. In practice, this means an increased demand for fuel and an increase in prices. There was concern that they would continue to grow. To address these concerns, the authorities in Washington issued a reassuring statement that stressed that the rise in prices was not high and "still comparable to what has happened in recent decades," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.

The Schork Report service, quoted by Fox, which provides, among others, news on energy topics, conceded that this argument was right. At the same time, however, he warned that the current rate hikes are a harbinger of an upward trend that may continue for a long time.

"Concerns about the future are justified," emphasizes The Schork Report, pointing out that "earlier administrative decisions that resulted in the abandonment of new pipeline construction and infrastructure improvements are now starting to show their consequences."

 

© The World Daily 2021 | News Desk