The spike in gasoline prices in the past few weeks due to the Iran war has been a cause for concern among UA students and the Tuscaloosa community. While the cost of gas prices all over the country has been greatly impacted by the conflict, the South, specifically Alabama, has been hit the hardest.
According to the Institution of Taxation and Economic Policy, Alabama residents currently pay $52 more per month on gas since the war began, the largest increase of any state. The cost of regular gas has increased nearly one dollar since this time last year from an average of $2.78 per gallon to $3.64 as of March 30, according to AAA Gas Prices.
Tuscaloosa County’s average cost per regular gallon, as of March 30, is $3.62.
James J. Cochran, a professor of statistics at the University, said that gas prices were likely to increase because of spring break, but that the war in Iran caused a decrease in the United States’ oil supply, leading to higher costs for gas. In response to attacks from Israel and the United States, Iran has effectively blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 million barrels of crude oil pass through each day, or one fifth of global oil consumption.
Both commuter students and those living on campus say they are feeling the effects of the rising prices, especially when planning their budgets.
“As a college student who works and has bills, I currently provide for myself,” said Erika Carlson, a senior majoring in international affairs. “The $3.70 gas prices are just a huge dent in what I specifically budget for.”
Carlson said she and her friends have had many conversations about the price of gas recently.
“It may not seem like a lot at face value, but it does at the end of the day make a huge impact on where our money is going to,” she said. “It is a lot, because that prevents you from wanting to go back home.” Hailey Welch, a sophomore nursing major, has felt similarly as an out of state student who drives 10 hours one way when she visits home in Texas.
“Two weeks ago, it was maybe less than $35 to fill up my tank and now it’s taking me almost $50,” she said. “And I know my tank didn’t get any bigger.”
Welch said she believes students are affected academically as much as they are financially by the rising cost of gas, as some may need to work more shifts to make up for the increase in expenses.
“You’re going to focus less on school, which will eventually affect your grades, and you might fail a class because of having to work more shifts,” she said.
Railey Sullivan, a senior majoring in elementary education, lives on campus as a resident advisor. She drives to a required unpaid internship, making paying more for gas than usual a burden.
“I know not just me, but also some of my peers, have really been struggling. Because not only are we not paid for this [the internships], but because we do this every single day, from 7 to sometimes 4 p.m.,” she said.
Increased gas prices have also affected other types of expenses like shipping costs and groceries, affecting students even if they do not drive or have a car. Grocery prices have increased by 2.4 percent since last year and the cost of dining 3.9 percent.
“The price of gasoline is built into the price of almost every product in our country. We are a very gas vehicle driven economy,” Cochran said. “All of a sudden, the price of food goes up even if they don’t have a car — even if they aren’t driving anywhere.”
To combat the higher cost of living, Christian Martin, a senior majoring in history and theatre, said he has not been using the air conditioning in his apartment.
“It is kind of hard to stretch budgets, so you’re going to see people making a lot of decisions like ‘do I want to sweat like a stuck pig, or do I want to run the AC in my apartment as the weather gets warmer?’” he said.
Cochran said he believes the price of gas will likely continue to increase while the U.S. is involved in a conflict with Iran. He said the easiest thing to do to mitigate the higher cost is to drive less.
“That actually eases the discrepancy between supply and demand a little bit, and it saves money for you: drive less, travel less and walk more,” he said.
Richard Stebbins, a professor of consumer science, also offered some insight into how students and faculty can adjust their behavior to lessen the financial burden.
“We can’t control the gas prices, but we can control how often the expense shows up,” he wrote in an email. “Checking tire pressure — low means the car uses more gas — and watching the mpg, if your display allows it, can help you correct your driving to use less gas.”
Carlson added that low-income families have been heavily affected by the high price of gas in the past few weeks. The app Too Good To Go offers customers discounted prices for food from businesses who have a surplus at the end of the day. Paying less for groceries may ease the burden of higher gas prices.
Community support can be important for supporting those who are experiencing a financial crisis now, Cochran said.
“Those of us who aren’t really suffering also should think more about those people who were barely making ends meet before this happened and are now facing some very difficult budgetary decisions,” he said. “Doing things like making contributions to the West Alabama Food Bank can be a way to help people who are having difficulty get through this.”
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