Gas Prices Soar Past $4 In Gilroy

Sorry–you're not hallucinating.

Gas prices around the city have risen well beyond $4, with a downtown Chevron station charging $4.15 for a gallon of basic unleaded.

“There’s nothing you can do—we’re at their mercy,” said a driver who recounted paying $3.69 a gallon in Illinois a few days ago.

While pocketbooks feel the pain at the pump, Garlic Farm manager Keshab Bhattarai said that the high prices have also hurt the profits of stations themselves.

For the past two months, Bhattarai said he has kept the price of basic unleaded gas at $3.99 a gallon, barely breaking even after buying the gas from his supplier, he said.

“We don’t want to go higher, because people say, ‘That’s way too high,'” said Bhattarai.

Even now, $4.11 is hardly turning a profit, and higher prices have meant more customers leaving without a full tank, the manager said.

“When gas prices go up, everything goes down,” he said.

In addition to Shell-branded gasoline, the station also operates an unbranded discount fuel operation that is popular with truckers, Bhattarai said.

Yet, while a truck holds 300 gallons of diesel, those who operate independent trucking businesses are frequently leaving with a half-tank, he said. 

Two drivers on their way to Sonoma County were across the street filling up two trucks at a Chevron station. It cost $80 for one, $60 for the other.

“I think that they should stop making gas vehicles entirely,” said one of the truckers, adding that he would happily buy an alternate-fuel vehicle.

CHEAPEST PRICES IN GILROY AS OF MONDAY (FROM MAPQUEST)

Valero, 1190 First St.—$3.99

Condil Comercial, 6490 Chestnut St.—$4

Rotten Robbie, 390 Leavesley Rd.—$4.03