One of the nation's best-known experts on gasoline and oil price trends has some potential good news for motorists in the Binghamton area.

Patrick De Haan - the head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy - told WNBF News that the average price at the pump in the region may continue to decrease over the next few weeks.

At the end of a live radio interview on Tuesday, De Haan was asked to predict the Labor Day price for a gallon of gas for drivers in the Binghamton area. Noting the current local average was $4.49 a gallon, he said if there are no major hurricanes or unforeseen supply disruptions "I'll say $4.19... maybe a little less than that." He added: "We could even be under four dollars - but watch the Atlantic, watch the tropics."

Although gas pricing trends sometimes appear to be confusing, De Haan points out that supply and demand ultimately determines what people pay.

Prices can be affected by a wide array of regional and global factors, including changes in the overall economy.

Regular gasoline was being sold for $4.199 at a Front Street convenience store on August 3, 2022. Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News
Regular gasoline was being sold for $4.199 at a Front Street convenience store on August 3, 2022. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)
loading...

In recent days, a small convenience store in Binghamton's First Ward has surprised people driving by with its posted cash price of $4.199 for regular.

A clerk working at the One Stop Grocery on Wednesday said he didn't know why the price was so low. But there's been some speculation that it could be a temporary situation because the business was sold a few weeks ago.

According to Broome County records, the property at 283 Front Street was acquired on June 28 by JC Gas & Convenience LLC from John Manculich for $250,000.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

LOOK: See the iconic cars that debuted the year you were born

15 Iconic Retail Stores That Don't Exist Anymore (But We Totally Miss Shopping At)

See the Must-Drive Roads in Every State

More From WNBF News Radio 1290 AM & 92.1 FM