Danville residents still feeling the pinch at the gas pump

Gas prices remained steady at most Danville-area stations Sunday afternoon after Friday’s surge at the pumps.

While gas remained just below $4 for a gallon of regular at most stores, at least two stations had prices jacked up 50 to 75 cents higher and another ran out of fuel Sunday morning. 

Pilot Travel Center on U.S. 58 East was selling regular gas at $4.49 Saturday around noon, but by Sunday afternoon the price went up another 20 cents. A manager there declined to comment on the increase and referred questions to Pilot’s corporate headquarters. No one could be reached for comment.

Local management received as additional note Sunday afternoon concerning a new price change. The manager said she did not know what type of price change it would be.

The Spirit station on U.S. 58 East offered regular unleaded for $4.49 a gallon Sunday afternoon.

Friday brought a deluge of customers to stations across the area to dodge rapidly rising gas prices as Hurricane Ike approached Galveston, Texas, and threatened oil refineries. The Sheetz station on Riverside Drive felt the aftermath at about 8 a.m. Sunday when it ran out of gas. 

Sheetz shift supervisor Sherita Coles said she did not know when the next shipment of gas would arrive, but that previous managers had called for shipments Saturday night and Sunday.