Memorial Day travel brings near-record gas prices for millions of drivers

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:01]KEEP THE UMBRELLA HANDY FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.

[00:00:03]ASHLEY.

[00:00:03]SABRINA, THANKS SO MUCH.

[00:00:05]WELL, AS MANY TRAVELERS RETURN HOME THIS MEMORIAL DAY, THEY ARE FINDING IT AMONG THE MOST EXPENSIVE HOLIDAYS TO DRIVE IN HISTORY AND MORE MEMORIAL DAY DRIVERS THAN EVER BEFORE ARE FACING THESE HIGH PRICES.

[00:00:16]WLWT NEWS FIVE’S BRIAN HAMRICK OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.

[00:00:19]LIVE WITH THE STORY FOR US.

[00:00:21]HI, BRIAN.

[00:00:22]YEAH, MIKE.

[00:00:23]WELL, YOU’RE DEFINITELY SPENDING MORE THIS YEAR THAN LAST YEAR.

[00:00:27]HOW MUCH MORE DEPENDS ON EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE.

[00:00:31]BUT WHEREVER YOU ARE, WELL, YOU WON’T BE ALONE.

[00:00:34]SO WE’VE BEEN DRIVING ALL OVER.

[00:00:36]JILLIAN SODERSTROM IS RUNNING FOUR RACES IN FOUR DAYS.

[00:00:40]FIVE K TEN K OBSTACLE COURSES, ALL OF THEM.

[00:00:44]BUT THAT’S NOT WHAT’S MAKING HER SWEAT.

[00:00:46]IT’S THE GAS PRICES GETTING TO ALL OF THEM.

[00:00:48]IT’S COSTING YOU MORE THAN THE ENTRY FEE JUST TO GET THERE.

[00:00:51]THAT IS TRUE.

[00:00:53]THE GAS PRICES ARE COSTING US MORE.

[00:00:55]SHE’S NOT ALONE.

[00:00:57]MEMORIAL DAY SET A PERSONAL RECORD OF ITS OWN.

[00:01:00]MORE DRIVERS THAN EVER.

[00:01:01]TRIPLE A SAYS CLOSE TO 40 MILLION.

[00:01:04]ALL PAYING NEAR RECORD GAS PRICES.

[00:01:07]TONY MILLER COMING BACK FROM A RACE TO THE INDY 500.

[00:01:10]JUST YOU PAY IT AND YOU GO.

[00:01:11]I MEAN, THERE’S NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

[00:01:14]I DON’T LIKE IT, BUT YOU GOT TO LIVE.

[00:01:16]LIFE PRICES ARE ALL OVER THE MAP.

[00:01:19]EVEN IF YOU AREN’T AT THE SAME LAWRENCE THEY RAN FROM 442 TO 459, AND THERE’S A BIGGER RANGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

[00:01:27]IF YOU THINK OF GAS PRICES LIKE A WEATHER MAP, YOU CAN SEE OUT HERE IN CALIFORNIA, PRICES ARE SIZZLING MORE THAN $6 A GALLON.

[00:01:36]BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THE REGIONAL MAP.

[00:01:39]WE GET A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF IF YOU COME IN HERE, INDIANAPOLIS AND INDIANA, THEY’RE CLOSER TO 390 SOMEWHERE IN THERE.

[00:01:46]TAKE A LOOK AT THE MAP.

[00:01:48]YOU KNOW, IN CINCINNATI, THOUGH, THE PRICES ARE EVERYWHERE.

[00:01:51]YOU GOT ALL KINDS OF PRICES FROM 470.

[00:01:53]IF YOU GO SOUTH, YOU GET A LITTLE BIT OF RELIEF.

[00:01:57]MAYBE IN FOR 20 OR SO.

[00:02:00]BUT WE’RE ALL UNDER A HIGH PRESSURE ZONE FOR GAS PRICES.

[00:02:04]NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 450 SOMETHING FOR JILLIAN SODERSTROM TO THINK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY WITH HER GOALS TO RACE IN ALL 50 STATES.

[00:02:11]THIS IS GETTING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE ENDEAVOR.

[00:02:14]IT IS.

[00:02:15]WE’RE I THINK WE’RE AT 835.

[00:02:18]WE’RE ALMOST DONE.

[00:02:20]SOME RUNNING ON EMPTY.

[00:02:22]IT’S LESS ABOUT THE LEGS AND MORE ABOUT THE WALLET.

[00:02:26]YEAH.

[00:02:26]NOW, TO BE EXACT, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS 456.

[00:02:31]BUT THAT IS NOT THE ALL TIME RECORD THAT WAS SET BACK IN 2022, WHEN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WAS 460 ON MEMORIAL DAY.

[00:02:42]BUT THAT’S NOTHING LIKE JULY OF 2022, WHEN IT WAS 480.

[00:02:46]SO WE DID NOT SET A RECORD ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY, BUT WE WERE CLOSE E