Ohio's gas tax holiday is coming. Here's where gas is cheap now

Ohio drivers will soon see a reprieve at the pump as new legislation will drop gas prices this month. Gov. Mike DeWine has signed legislation that will suspend Ohio’s 38.5 cents per gallon gas tax and 47 cents per gallon diesel tax to virtually zero for 90 days starting Oct. 4. The U.S. war with Ira

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What is the story about?

Ohio drivers will soon see a reprieve at the pump as new legislation will drop gas prices this month.

Gov. Mike DeWine has signed legislation that will suspend Ohio’s 38.5 cents per gallon gas tax and 47 cents per gallon diesel tax to virtually zero for 90 days starting Oct. 4.

The U.S. war with Iran has driven up the price of crude oil and spiked fuel costs. The war has disrupted transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping channel on the border of Iran that connects the Persian Gulf to the ocean and is a major route for the oil trade.

Average regular gas prices in Columbus spiked to $4.57 per gallon on Sept. 17 but have since dropped to $4.11-$4.18, according

to GasBuddy. U.S. average gas prices peaked at just short of $4.50 on Sept. 24 before falling to about $4.37.

Deisel prices have been significantly higher, peaking nationally at $6.53 per gallon Sept. 21. Ohio diesel prices are higher still, averaging at $6.63 per gallon as of Oct. 2, according to AAA.

The cost of diesel is driving a cash flow crisis for Ohio trucking companies and will likely mean higher prices for consumer goods, including essentials like groceries.

The gas tax pause will give drivers some reprieve, though a national 18.4 cents per gallon gas tax and 24.4 cents per gallon diesel tax remains in effect. Some experts think drivers could save about $80 over the next three months, or about $6 per week if they buy a full tank of gas each week.

Where to find cheap gas now in Columbus, central Ohio

If your tank is empty today, the coming gas holiday might not matter much. Here are the gas stations where gas is cheapest in the central Ohio area as of noon Oct. 2, according to GasBuddy: