Steady Rise in Gas Prices Hurting Area Drivers, Businesses

Drivers in the area are feeling the pain at the pump as gas prices have increased for 32 straight days.

The average cost of a gallon of regular has jumped 25 cents in New York City and about 30 cents on Long Island and in New Jersey, according to AAA.
 
As a result, college commuter Chris Case says he's now carpooling to class on Long Island.
 
"It’s getting pretty bad," Case said. "It's a five-minute drive and it's getting to the point where I can't afford it." 
 
Long Island gas station owner Andy Harris says he's heard the complaints, but tells customers it’s not his fault.
 
"It's just been skyrocketing and this time of year it's very unusual," Harris said.
 
Rising crude oil prices are driving up the cost at the pump, though experts say that’s not the only reason gas prices have gone up in the area.
 
A AAA spokesman points to the closing of a major New Jersey refinery earlier this month, and a 1920s shipping regulation that limits the amount of cheaper oil shipped to area from the Gulf Coast.
 
For Nick Pepe, the owner of a mobile dog grooming business on Long Island, the rising cost of gas means his customers will have to pay more for his services.
 
"I have to fill up every day and its starting to get pricey, close to about $100 a day," Pepe said. "The consumers are gonna pay either way."
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