With the Fourth of July weekend coming up, many people will be hitting the road for travel. The prospect of a holiday spent with friends and family is always exciting. But what won’t be as exciting are the higher gas prices travelers will face out on the road. 

“What’s really leading to the increase is demand. We’ve been seeing a lot of demand. And the other thing we have been paying attention to at AAA is the cost of crude oil, which has been increasing as well in the last few weeks," AAA representative Sergio Avila said. 

A shortage in tanker truck drivers is believed to be another key factor in the increase in prices. During the pandemic, many drivers either retired or moved into other industries with the demand for fuel low. As a result, several gas stations across the state are facing extreme shortages. 

"When you come across a gas station that has this issue, you may be able to drive to a nearby gas station, and find plenty of gas there," Avila plainly stated.

The average gas price in Arizona has climbed to $3.12, up 2% since Memorial Day weekend.