Pump prices curbing summer plans | News, Sports, Jobs

Tanker trucks fill up at a petroleum terminal on Burns Avenue in Altoona on Thursday.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Ever increasing fuel prices are putting the brakes on summer fun as residents rethink their budgets, fire companies cut back on parades and business owners eye their bottom line.

Tonia Makarikas said rising gas prices have wrought havoc on her financial situation.

“I’ve had to cut food and utilities and be more cautious with electricity,” Makarikas said. “I’m buying more storebrand food, and it’s crazy. But we have to go to work and survive.”

Makarikas said she fills her vehicle with 89 octane. That once cost just $40 to fill but now costs $110, she said.

Jennifer Logan of Duncansville said increased gas prices have spurred a lifestyle change.

A motorist pumps gasoline at Sheetz at 5706 Sixth Avenue on Wednesday.
Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“I do more walking because of it, and I don’t drive a lot,” Logan said. “But it sucks. I blame our president and think we need to open our pipeline.”

Hollidaysburg resident Terry Hammel agrees with Logan that politics ties into the state of gas prices. He blamed Democrats.

“Stop spending on other countries,” Hammel said. “Take care of your own backyard before cleaning up anyone else’s.”

Hammel said increased gas prices have been a major inconvenience.

“It’s ridiculous, and I don’t go anywhere as much,” he said. “With everything, I’ve been spending less.”

Maxwell Hunter said that while skyrocketing gas prices have an adverse impact on the community, increased costs makes sense from an environmental standpoint.

“Gas has been subsidized for a long time and Americans need to pay to have a good planet to live on,” Hunter said. “But I sympathize with those with lower financial means.”

While he said increases haven’t necessarily affected him too much, he still drives less because of high prices.

For some, gas is too expensive to go on vacation as usual.

Rachel Matthews of Hollidaysburg said she recently went on a trip, but that she’ll have to curb her normal travel plans this summer.

“It just costs a lot more, and I won’t go as many places,” Matthews said. “I’m lucky my car is good on gas, though.”

Jim Fox said he and his family won’t be going to the beach this summer like they normally do.

“It’s usually Ocean City, Maryland, but gas prices are just too much,” Fox said. “It’s very disappointing.”

Fire companies cut back

Residents aren’t the only ones making adjustments as fuel prices continue to climb. At least two local fire companies have announced plans to cut back on parades and, a summer staple, filling swimming pools.

Pinecroft Volunteer Fire Company will always respond to emergencies, Deputy Chief Caleb Keller reported, but the company is being forced to cut back on attending parades because of the fuel expense. In addition, the company is also cutting back on filling swimming pools.

Also making cuts is the Freedom Township Volunteer Fire Company.

“Due to the rise in fuel costs, the membership has decided to not haul pool water this year,” the company posted on Facebook. “Also, to cut down on unnecessary fuel consumption, the company will not be participating in any parades this summer.”

While making cuts to unnecessary expenses, fire companies were quick to reassure residents that fuel costs will not stop first responders from turning out for emergencies.

Businesses eye budgets

The rising fuel costs are hitting some businesses harder than others, particularly bus providers.

Cherry Tree-based Raystown Transit Service provides school bus service to several area school districts and the fuel costs increase is creating some problems, mainly because the company under contract at a set fee.

“For school transportation providers like us, we can’t cut corners … the safety of the students is paramount.” said owner Shae Harkleroad. “We can’t shop for cheaper parts. It has more impact on us than other industries.”

Since school bus contractors are locked into agreements, Harkleroad said the only thing to do is absorb the costs. It costs about $600 to fill a school bus with diesel fuel, she said.

Although school transportation makes up the bulk of its business, Raystown also offers motorcoach excursions.

It is here that Harkleroad can adjust trip prices to keep costs current with fuel prices.

“For motorcoach excursions, we had to increase prices,” she said, noting that while it is possible to be flexible on the excursion prices, there is a delicate balance.

“If you increase prices too much, people won’t be able to afford the trips,” Harkleroad said.

Clearfield-based Fullington Auto Bus Co. has also felt the impact of rising fuel prices.

Fullington serves seven school districts and is also locked into contracts, said President/CEO Jonathan Berzas.

His company also offers charters and line runs and has been forced to increase ticket fares to cover the increased energy costs, he said.

“We added a 15 percent surcharge on our charter customers,” he said, because the company can’t keep absorbing the fuel costs.

“We have tried to keep the prices the same as much as possible because people have paid for them in advance,” Berzas said, noting that along with fuel, tire prices have increased.

“It is not only just fuel impacting us, tires are made with oil,” he said. “Tires and diesel fuel going up … that has impacted us significantly.”

Bill Scully, owner of Freedom Excursions by Scully, agrees.

Rising fuel costs increase traveling costs, he said.

“Although only a part of operational expenses, we have seen the cost of fuel to complete a trip almost double,” Scully said.

While some of the company’s contracts allowed for fuel increases, others did not.

“Many trips that were priced in 2021 or early 2022, we ended up covering the increase just due to the nature of the trips,” he said.

As an example, Scully said he works with PTO and PTA groups where students raised money to go on trips.

“They certainly have no way of knowing that the costs would increase and certainly are not getting any additional funds to cover those increases,” he said. “We would not cancel student trips because of the increase, especially with most students not being on a field trip in the past two years due to the pandemic.”

Blair Senior Services has seen a significant impact on programs, said President Steve Williamson.

“The gas prices are killing our transportation program,” he said. “We have budgeted twice as much money for fuel for our next fiscal year, which begins July 1.”

Because regulations allow the program to retain some revenue, Blair Senior Services can keep fares stable, at least for the foreseeable future, he said.

Whether transporting people or goods, the moving industry is struggling under the rising fuel costs.

“It affects the bottom line,” said General Manager John Boone of Lytle’s Transfer and Storage, Tipton.

While there are surcharges, “that doesn’t cover all of it. The rest comes out of our pockets,” he said.

“With Pennsylvania having one of the highest fuel taxes in the country, we try to buy most of our fuel out of state when we can,” he admitted.

A long-term solution would be using trucks with better fuel efficiency, he said.

“But you can’t get them. They are so backed up. We ordered some new trucks in October, and they have even been built yet,” Boone said.

Some impacted less

Ward Trucking and Logistics, Altoona, hasn’t been affected too much by the rising fuel costs because the company can adjust the fuel surcharge.

“For the trucking companies like us, it does not have much impact. All of us have a surcharge that gets adjusted every week based on the national diesel average. We raise our surcharges accordingly,” said CEO Bill T. Ward. “The bigger issue is the fuel prices are slowing down the economy along with inflation. We are seeing a slowdown; business has not been robust.”

Amtran also has been less affected by the rising fuel prices.

“With 83 percent of our fleet powered by compressed natural gas, we are much less affected by the increased cost of diesel. In fact, last year, Amtran saved $100,000 in fuel costs by using CNG instead of diesel partly by locking in a multi-year contract on the price of CNG,” said General Manager Eric Wolf.

For families who have limited options, though, the rising cost of fuel may lead to smaller, close to home summer vacation.

Fox said it costs more than $100 to fill his pickup truck, so instead of Ocean City, he’s looking at other options.

“Maybe we’ll take the grandkids to the zoo in Pittsburgh, you know, something a little closer to home.”

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