CHARLOTTE — North Carolina drivers are beginning to see changes at the gas pump after state leaders suspended the state’s gas tax, but prices still vary from station to station.
Channel 9 drove around Charlotte on Wednesday and found prices along South Boulevard ranging from $3.69 to $3.99 per gallon. At one point, three gas stations visible from the same location had a 20-cent difference in prices.
That gap can add up. For someone filling a 15-gallon tank twice a week, paying 30 cents more per gallon could mean spending about $40 more per month.
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North Carolina lawmakers passed a bill suspending the state’s 41-cent-per-gallon gas tax through Nov. 30. The suspension took effect Oct. 10 after Gov. Josh Stein signed the measure into law. The goal is to provide relief to drivers facing higher fuel costs.
North Carolina’s average gas price has since dropped below South Carolina’s, according to the price trends shown in the report. Prices can take time to adjust because stations may still be selling fuel purchased before the tax suspension took effect. Most stations are expected to receive new deliveries within about a week.
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is urging gas retailers to pass the savings on to customers. His office has launched N.C. Fuel Check, an online form where drivers can report stations they believe are not lowering prices appropriately. The state is also reviewing publicly available gas-price data to identify potential outliers.
Drivers can submit a report through the North Carolina Department of Justice’s website. The office asks for details such as the station’s name and address, the price per gallon, the date and time of the visit, and photos of the price sign and receipt.
The tax suspension comes as drivers continue to feel the effects of rising fuel costs. A recent Urban Institute analysis found that gas prices had increased significantly over the past year, with the added expense varying by state and driving habits.
The report’s figures estimate that North Carolina drivers spent about $237 on fuel last month, roughly $73 more than during the same period last year. In South Carolina, the increase was about $68, according to the figures cited in the report.