Fuel shortage in Orange County, Florida area.

[Shorty82]

Field trips, other activities canceled in Orange, Seminole due to shortage of fuel for school buses

It looks like the shortage is mainly affecting diesel but gasoline is also affected. A Sunoco station down the road from my brother's place is completely out of gas.

Be careful where you buy gas too, some stations are price gouging. Heard on the radio the state is investigating a number of reports of price gouging.

The problem is that here in Central Florida something like 80% of our fuel comes from the Gulf and the hurricanes have severely impacted the refineries. Hopefully it won't take long for gas supplies to return to normal but until they do I'd watch your tank and minimize your driving.

[kurtisnelson]

Hmmpf. Seems very localized. Here in north orange we have GOOD gas prices and plenty of gas. Blame the lack of bus fuel on the new stupid OCPS school schedule

[Shorty82]

Prices are still good where I've looked but I've heard of price gouging in the area. Supply seems good but I know of one station that is apparently completely out (East side of Orlando) and have heard of at least one chain that is asking customers to limit their purchases.

Supply interruptions can take days to appear as stations will be using the gas they have on hand but won't be getting any more in on schedule.

[felinefan]

I remember during the Arab oil embargo in the early 70s, gas stations had these flags--red meant they were out of gas, yellow meant limited supply, emergency vehicles only, and green meant full supply, they could serve everybody. Maybe they could use a system like that until the end of hurricane season, just so people won't keep pulling into stations only to find there's not enough gas. I still remember the gas lines, the odd/even license plate thing, gasless Sundays, etc..

Around here, gas prices have been dropping--at mom's favorite station in Santa Ana, it's currently $3.69/gallon for unleaded regular. Two stations a mile from us are ten cents a gallon more expensive. I really miss the gas wars of old....

[Whazzup]

Prices are still good where I've looked but I've heard of price gouging in the area. Supply seems good but I know of one station that is apparently completely out (East side of Orlando) and have heard of at least one chain that is asking customers to limit their purchases.

Supply interruptions can take days to appear as stations will be using the gas they have on hand but won't be getting any more in on schedule.

Governor Crist keeps emphasizing that there IS NO GAS SHORTAGE in Florida. The media keeps hyping the possibility of a gas shortage due to Hurricane Ike disrupting the rigs and refineries. People get into panic mode and are afraid they won't be able to get any gas so long lines start forming at the stations and people start hoarding gas. That's why the stations are running out of gas. And yes, it does sometimes take a few days to get a new shipment in. If people would continue their normal routine of filling up only when they really need gas, the stations wouldn't be running out so quickly. Damn SG gas hoarders! :mad:

Oh yeah, and how can a station raise its gas prices 20 cents in a day when the price of oil is actually going down???

[Ladyfair]

One of the stations near me had their gas go from $3.71 to $4.29 overnight, with a 14¢ per gallon surcharge for using a debit or credit card!!! Usually, debit cards don't get a surcharge. This one was turned into the state for gouging - we'll see if Crist does anything about it.

Same station, a few months ago, my DH was getting his AM Diet Coke there and heard a man come in yelling, wanting to know how he just got 16 gallons of gas in his 14 gallon tank!

Needless to say, we buy our gas elsewhere, but drive past the signs daily and laugh about it!

[hobie16]

Same station, a few months ago, my DH was getting his AM Diet Coke there and heard a man come in yelling, wanting to know how he just got 16 gallons of gas in his 14 gallon tank!

Really really big fuel lines.

[kurtisnelson]

with a 14¢ per gallon surcharge for using a debit or credit card!!!

If they do that again, send an email to your credit card company. It is generally against the stores agreement with them.

[Ladyfair]

Really? Its all over the place here - they now even have revolving signs that go between the cash and credit prices. Usually, though, if you use your debit card with the PIN number, you get charged the cash price - not so at the particular station. If you ask/complain about it, you either get the "I can't speak English" line or a "take it or leave it" spiel.

I leave it - in this area, there's a gas station on at least 3 corners of every intersection, all competing.