Across the state, long lines formed outside of gas stations, with drivers worried about fuel shortages due to the devastation in South Texas.
The Texas Railroad Commissioner assured people there was no fuel shortage, and Lubbock experts agreed. They said they didn’t expect any long lines in Lubbock, unless people started to “panic-buy.”
“Really in the last 3-4 hours is when our business has picked up,” Bolton Oil co-owner Charles Bolton said, as business at his stations picked up. “That is good and bad. We like business, but this is on the verge of panic-buying.”
Bolton said Lubbock mostly gets our supply from the north, areas like Amarillo. He added that we shouldn’t be affected by the devastation in south texas. The only shortages we could see are if people rush to go fill up.
“This kind of buying can create spot shortages for a little while,” Bolton said. “If business is as usual, then things are rolling down the road.”
The city did see a price hike, though, up 20 cents in the last two days, but those numbers are only supposed to jump three cents by Friday, which Bolton said is a good sign.
Still, Lubbock residents headed to the pump.
One driver, George, told us he was headed to Dallas and bought 6 gas canisters for the trip.
“I’m just trying to gather up enough gas to make it home later today without having to stop or anything like that, for fear of running out of gas,” he said. “One of my employees called from San Angelo and said the lines for gas were out into the streets.”
