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Gas Prices Under $2 Showing Up in Luzerne County

WILKES-BARRE — For the first time in seven years, drivers are finding gas prices below $2 a gallon at stations in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. R...

WILKES-BARRE -- For the first time in seven years, drivers are finding gas prices below $2 a gallon at stations in northeastern and central Pennsylvania.

Right now, there aren't a lot of them, but AAA says there could be more and more as gas prices continue to fall.

We found most of the prices below $2 are in the Wilkes-Barre area.

It was March of 2009 the last time gas was selling for less than $2 a gallon.

"I think it's wonderful. It can go down a little bit lower," said Chet Makos.

Makos was taking advantage of $1.99 gas at a station along the Sans Souci Parkway in Hanover Township.

It's one of the stations in the Wilkes-Barre area now offering prices below $2--something many drivers thought they'd never see again.

"The way prices are today, everything is going up, up, up. It's impossible to see that," Makos said.

One of the workers said as soon as they dropped the price below $2 a gallon, this place has been busy, pretty much nonstop, drivers noticing and loving the low price.

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"Well, I never seen it before $2 a gallon in my life," said Chris Jones.

At least in his life as a driver. Chris Jones was a kid when prices were last this low here.

"Cheaper gas means you can go more places. I commute up to Scranton for school so it makes it better on that," he said.

The savings are big for all drivers. AAA estimates that last year the average driver saved $550 on gas compared to the year before. That's $115 billion in savings nationwide.

"It's great! I get more money in my pocket!" said Eileen Arnold.

Drivers in the Pittston area are also saving with the $1.99 gas. There are a few stations there with the low price, including Turkey Hill.

Taxes mean Pennsylvania still has among the highest gas prices in the nation but we have now joined much of the nation below $2.

It's a huge change compared to prices near $4 a gallon just a year and a half ago.

"I had a big GMC truck I had to get rid of and here it's nice again. I got rid of my trailer and everything because of the gas. Who knows, maybe I'll get another camper," said Pat Liberaski of Mountain Top.

A big factor in the low gas prices is the excess supply of oil, thanks in part to drilling and fracking for oil here in the U.S.

In fact, the price for a barrel of oil went below $30 a barrel on Tuesday for the first time since 2003. So AAA says expect gas prices to stay low, or go lower.

To check out the lowest prices near you, use the WNEP Gas Tracker.

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