Columbus Gas Jumps 16 Cents in a Day as Diesel Holds Above $5.30

Regular gasoline rose 16.3 cents in one day to a Columbus metro average of $4.189 per gallon on Aug. 1, according to AAA. Diesel moved only 0.2 cents higher but remained above $5.30 at $5.301 per gallon.

The separate movements matter for local drivers and businesses: gasoline saw a sharp daily increase, while diesel was nearly flat from the previous day but remained substantially more expensive than during the other comparison periods listed by AAA.

Gasoline is higher across every comparison window

AAA’s Columbus figures show regular gasoline up 27.2 cents from a week earlier, 41.2 cents from a month earlier and $1.147 from a year earlier. The metro average was $4.026 on the previous day’s AAA check.

That puts additional pressure on commuters, households with multiple vehicles and weekend travelers planning longer drives. The AAA figure is a metro average, not a guaranteed price at every pump. Individual Columbus-area stations may be higher or lower depending on location, brand and when the station last changed its price.

Diesel remains above $5.30

Diesel rose just 0.2 cents from the previous day, when AAA listed a Columbus average of $5.299. Even with the limited day-to-day movement, diesel was 27.5 cents higher than a week earlier, 24.2 cents higher than a month earlier and $1.631 higher than a year earlier.

Those prices are especially relevant for delivery drivers, contractors, landscapers, construction companies, restaurants that depend on deliveries and other service operators using diesel-powered vehicles or equipment. Fuel is only one part of operating costs, but sustained increases can affect route planning, job estimates and delivery expenses.

Higher than the last Columbus check

The latest AAA snapshot also stands above the prior Columbus fuel-price update from July 30, which reported regular gasoline at $3.925 and diesel at $5.256. Compared with that earlier update, the latest averages are 26.4 cents higher for gasoline and 4.5 cents higher for diesel.

The July 30 figures are included as a prior comparison point rather than as proof of current station prices. AAA’s Aug. 1 snapshot is the source for the latest Columbus metro averages.

State data provides broader context

The U.S. Energy Information Administration‘s latest weekly Ohio table, released July 28, listed regular gasoline at $3.849 per gallon for the week of July 27. That statewide weekly figure provides broader context, but it is not a replacement for AAA’s Columbus metro snapshot: the two sources cover different geographic areas, dates and collection methods.

For local budgeting, drivers should compare several nearby stations before filling up, especially when traveling across the Columbus area. Households and businesses that cannot reduce fuel use may want to account for gasoline and diesel separately, since gasoline rose sharply in the latest daily comparison while diesel remained nearly unchanged day to day but far above its year-earlier level.

What are the highest and lowest gas or diesel prices you are seeing around Columbus? Share the station and price in the comments.

Sources

• AAA Fuel Prices — Ohio metro averages
• U.S. Energy Information Administration — Ohio weekly fuel prices