Gas falls under $3.00 per gallon in the Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Gas prices have dropped, again. “I like that they’re going down a little bit.” says Lauren Goodwin, driver. “It’s 3 dollars a gallon, so that’s pretty good,” says Rena Grant, driver. “Cheaper gas, the more money in my pocket to spend on other things,” says Craig Stoxen, driver. Even Stoxen, who uses diesel fuel is excited to see prices fall. “It’s still more than regular gas, but it’s down from where it was,” says Stoxen. Monday, we found gas on Bush River Road for under $3.00 per gallon. “I’ve seen a couple of $2.99’s, I wish it would go a little lower than that,” says Goodwin. If you are looking for the cheapest gas in your area, look no further than your smart phone, there you will find a variety of apps that will use your phone’s location to find stations with the lowest price per gallon. “Triptik” by AAA is one of the most popular. Crandall Sims reporting, “While cheaper gas prices have more people filling up and hitting the road, according to AAA, the distance they are traveling is actually shorter.” “Given the recession and the economy, I mean it makes sense. I mean just to do a staycation and go down to Edisto you know for a couple of days or up to Charlotte or something, it makes sense for families,” says Grant. AAA estimates the average national hotel rates are up by 8% to $160.00 per night, that’s up from last year’s $148.00 per night rate. Drivers here say they too will stay close by this summer. “We are going to the mountains,” says Stoxen. “I plan on either taking a trip to Atlanta soon or trying to go back to Myrtle Beach,” says Goodwin. While drivers are looking forward to their vacations, they’re also hoping prices continue to drop. “Keep them going down,” says Stoxen.