By Dylan Sciacca | Reporter
For students driving to campus and around Waco, the gas station is an essential stop.
However, gas prices have been high since the Iran war began February 2026, and the prices have been on a steady increase and have stayed high compared to a year ago. According to AAA, as of Oct. 21, the average gas price in McLennan County was about $3.79 and about $3.76 in Texas overall.
The people of Waco are trying to do what they can to save. Diego Nicholson, a customer at Sunoco, said he uses different gas stations every time he refills.
“I use this app called GasBuddy; it tells me the prices of all the gas stations in the area … [I am] pretty sure it can give you some rewards too,” Nicholson said.
GasBuddy is a free app and website with about 12 million monthly active users that shows how much prices have increased, where the cheapest places are and how one city compares to others.
While GasBuddy is an option for high gas prices, the cheapest gas is still only cheaper by a matter of cents than the more expensive gas stations. This has led students to use other tactics to spend less money on gas.
Grapevine sophomore Chase Kropholler got an electric scooter before the price increase, which he said has helped him out more than he expected.
“I got it as a birthday gift my senior year of high school, before getting on campus,” Kropholler said. “But now seeing the gas prices have risen this much, it has definitely saved me a bunch of money … I would be paying about $280 a month if I still had my truck.”
While gas is causing problems for everyone driving, Kropholler said that it affects college students differently than people who drive for work.
“College kids are notorious for not having a lot of money, and it is our first time on our own,” Kropholler said. “With the gas prices being how they are, it makes it hard for us to save money when we blow it on refueling our tanks. That’s why you should get a scooter because it helps you save and not have to pay that extra tax.”
There are still even more cost-efficient ways to save some money and use less gas. Nicholson said he has one method that may be the cheapest way to go when trying to save.
“I too have actually started walking a bit,” Nicholson said. “It’s a good way to get outside when it is not too hot but also saves you a couple bucks. Those extra dollars do stack up if you walk often, so I try when I can.”
