ORLANDO, Fla. — Gas prices remain over $4 a gallon heading into the weekend for the first time in four years.

What You Need To Know

The national average for a gallon of regular exceeded $4/gallon this week for the first time since August 2022

Crude oil prices have been surging, surpassing $100/barrel, as the conflict in the Middle East continues and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed

Friday’s average of $4.08 is 10 cents higher than last week and $1.08 higher than a month ago

Owners of shuttle services in Orlando say they have been impacted by this increase resulting in having to reduce their operations

“They are high, there’s no question about it, they are really high,” Tim Szlosek said. He lives in Long Island and is visiting Central Florida for a family wedding. He says he didn’t expect gas to be such a big expense for this trip.

“I’m filling up a rental car, which is even worse. it feels like it feels more painful when it’s not really your gas,” Szlosek said. “For eight gallons, $40, so not great.”

The increase is also impacting business owners who operate shuttle services for customers flying in and out of Orlando International Airport.

“We focus on port to port, so that’s a 45-mile commute every single day, right? So, filling up a vehicle like this used to be about $70, $80. Now it’s gone up to $114. You know, last month with all our vehicles, we went from about $3,500, $4,000 in gas to $10,000 in gas,” Manny Vargas said. He is the owner of SmoothSail Shuttles.

Other transportation companies like MEARS are also feeling the effect of the increase in gas prices. A notice on the MEARS website shows that a 3% fuel surcharge will be added to all reservations until further notice.

Vargas said they have tried to find ways to adapt before having to pass the cost to the customers, but that has also meant his staff is impacted.

“We have to limit the vehicles that we send out, so guess what that means, certain employees are going to stay at home,” Vargas said. “We gotta cut costs until gas comes down. What comes up comes down, is always going to come down. But we have to maneuver and adjust during these times.”

According to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), on average drivers right now are paying $20 more to fill up their gas tank compared to a month ago.

“Prices right now continue to react to the way this conflict with Iran continues to disrupt the global fuel supplies that major shipping channel, the Strait of Hormuz, remains largely closed, with no clear indication on when it will reopen, and that uncertainty is being baked into fuel prices,” AAA Spokesman Mark Jenkins said.

According to Jenkins, about half of the price drivers pay at the pump is influenced by crude oil prices which are up nearly 60%, moving into triple digits for the first time in four years.

Amber Cacace lives in Brevard County and drives for Uber. “If it keeps going up, no, it wouldn’t be sustainable,” she said.

Cacace says she used to spend about $40 to fill up her gas tank – now she is paying closer to $60.

“Mostly I stay in Brevard County, but every once in a while, I do get the airport run over here. So definitely takes a lot more gas,” Cacace said. “It’s definitely taking a cut in pay.”

According to AAA, there’s no sign of when gas prices will go down.

For reference, the highest gas price Floridians saw was $4.89 back in 2022. Jenkins said if oil jumps another $10-$20 we could set a new all-time high in prices at the pump in Florida.

Gas money-saving tips from AAA:

Combine errands to reduce unnecessary trips
Ensure your vehicle is properly maintained, checking tire pressure and oil changes.
Drive carefully – aggressive starts and stops can reduce fuel economy.
Use cruise control on the highway.
Shop around for the best gas prices. AAA has a mobile app that can be use as a tool for checking real-time gas prices around your area.