Price of Gas Nearby Heads Toward $4

Gas prices have gone way up lately. Around Piedmont, they’ve have shot up to about $3.65 for a regular gallon of gas to about $3.95 for the premium stuff.

When it comes to why the prices go up or down, gas station owners say they’re at the mercy of their suppliers, which recently raised prices overnight by some 8 cents to 11 cents per gallon thanks to Mideast turmoil. As for the differences in cost from one brand to another, the answer again comes down to which supplier is providing the gas, station employees say.

For those who aren’t discerning in their gas choices and simply want a cheap product, there’s the Arco/ampm at Park Boulevard and East 33rd Street across from Oakland High School near the Interstate 580 on-ramps. A steady stream of vehicles was queued up for the gas there recently–bargain priced at $3.53 for unleaded and $3.75 for premium.

Gas at avenues is also cheaper than average–$3.61 for regular and $3.82 for premium. At the 76 station at Broadway and Broadway Terrace gas costs $3.63 for regular and $3.83 for premium. Broadway Gas & Food at Broadway and 38th Street costs just a few cents more–$3.65 for regular gas, $3.89 for premium.

Fuel at those stations costs noticeably less than the immediately surrounding gas stations, where the price for regular starts at $3.69. That's what regular goes for at the ; regular is to $3.79 at the Shell at Broadway and Taft Avenue. The Chevron at Piedmont and Pleasant Valley avenues sells regular gas for $3.81 and supreme for $4.11.

At the Valero on Highland Avenue in the center of Piedmont, gas costs $3.71 for regular unleaded to $4.05 for the unleaded super. Station owner Simon Ho said his gas is slightly more expensive in part because rent is high and he gets fewer customers than flat-land stations.

In Montclair, at the , gas is $3.77 for regular and $4.07 for premium. Down the block at , fuel is a few cents more at $3.81 for regular and $4.11 for supreme. Around the corner at Thornhill Drive near Grisborne Avenue, Montclair Gas offers gas for a few cents less at $3.73 for regular and $3.99 for super-unleaded.

Along Grand Avenue, the is the least expensive, with gas costing $3.69 for regular and $3.91 for premium. At avenues, regular gas costs $3.79 while premium is $4.19.

“I think within the next week you could see a 10 cent increase if not more,” said Piedmont Auto Care service manager Troy Chenoweth.

Sam Ng, the manager of avenues off the I-580 freeway, agreed that prices were only continuing to go up. As of Feb. 24, gas there cost $3.72 for regular and $3.92 for premium.

“It will be $4, anytime,” Ng said.

Those looking for an even better deal may want to go farther afield. Gas is just $3.41 for regular at an Arco station at 25225 Mission Blvd at Berry Avenue in Hayward, according to GasBuddy.com.