ORLANDO, Fla. \u2013 If you\u2019re planning to hit the road for the Fourth of July, be ready to pay more at the pump. Gas prices for Independence Day are at record-high levels \u2014 the highest since tracking began in 1967 \u2014 and in Central Florida, that squeeze is being felt by everyday drivers and the people many are relying on to get around: rideshare drivers.<\/p>\n
More than 60 million people are expected to travel by car this holiday weekend, and Orlando is once again a major destination for fireworks, theme parks and packed events. With traffic and parking notoriously messy, many people are skipping driving themselves \u2014 and leaning on rideshares instead.<\/p>\n
But for the drivers behind the wheel, filling up has become a daily pain point.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore, you could drive around looking for passengers in the Disney and Universal area,\u201d said Carlos Taveras. \u201cNow you can\u2019t. You have to park somewhere because you waste too much gas. Gas is very expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to AAA, the average price on July 4 last year was $3.11 per gallon. This year, the statewide average is about $3.83 \u2014 and the Federal Reserve says that makes it the highest gas price ever recorded for the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the worst,\u201d said Elias, who depends on rideshare driving as extra income. \u201cBut there is no choice\u2026 It\u2019s like a second job. You have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elias said he typically fills up his car every day, but with gas prices so high, he\u2019s having to be more selective about which rides he takes \u2014 focusing on trips that pay better.<\/p>\n
\u201cI only do the trips from the airport to Disney, Disney to the airport,\u201d Elias said. \u201cBecause those are the trips that pay a little better.\u201d<\/p>\n