Convenience store chain festive fuel promotion adds gas to travel plans
Jul. 4—FAIRMONT — West Virginia drivers will have more money for brats, burgers and beers this holiday thanks to Sheetz. The company will sell gas at all of its nearly 700 locations on the fourth for $1.766, to celebrate Independence Day.
"That's great," Greg Coniglio, who was pumping gas at the downtown Fairmont location the day before, said. "It's more money for the wallet. More money to spend on something else besides gas, like food."
The promotion will run from 12:01 a.m. and run all day, or until promotional gallons run out. The discounted price applies to regular, E85, Unleaded 88, mid-grade, Ethanol Free and premium. Diesel is excluded from the promotion.
Despite more travelers on the road this year than last, gas prices on average nationally will be lower compared to one year ago. According to AAA, 2.1 million more people will be on the road driving 50 miles or more than they were in 2022.
What makes this summer more remarkable is that this year more people will drive than in 2019, which had roughly 49 million drivers on the road. This year will beat it out with an estimated total of 50 million drivers.
Although there is higher demand for gas, prices have actually been dropping for the last seven days, reaching a 3-week low, according to data provided by GasBuddy.
Several drivers at the Fairmont Avenue location were excited by the prospect of lower gas prices. However, Clarissa Gower was more skeptical.
"That's wild, I mean, if they're able to charge those prices for one day, who's to say they couldn't cut the price a little bit for the rest of the year," she said.
Despite her irritation, Gower said that she would be letting several of her family members who are traveling know about the promotion.
Steve Latochn, who stopped at one of the pumps to fill up his Jeep, said the deal was nice, and that it was great that Sheetz was going to let everybody benefit from the lower gas prices.
"Sheetz is in the business of making money, they're in for a profit," he said. "Their prices are reasonable. How many other businesses are doing it for one day? Sheetz is at least doing that."
The opposing viewpoints reflect the national conversation taking place at the moment around inflation, gas prices and corporate greed. As gas prices hit record highs last year, the Biden administration accused oil companies of war profiteering and threatened a windfall tax on them if they didn't increase production.
Bruce Nielsen, who filled a gas canister at one of the Sheetz pumps Monday, was happy to hear about the discounts for the fourth. He also said he hoped it became a regular thing.
"Once a year, be nice if they do it all the time," he said.
Reach Esteban at efernandez@timeswv.com
