Gas Prices Affect Commuter Students
Gas and diesel prices continue to rise across the country, affecting many college students who commute. These prices continue to increase primarily because of the U.S.- Iran war and adjacent conflicts in the Middle East. With no clear end in sight for these wars, gas and diesel prices will continue to rise, which will make the commute for commuters at Dean College more difficult.
Around 30% of global crude oil production comes from the Middle East. Crude oil is what gets refined into the gasoline and diesel used around the world. Critical transit points in the Middle East have been blocked because of the wars. Primarily the Strait of Hormuz, which is responsible for around 20 percent of crude oil has been closed by Iran which is located directly above the strait.
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Iran has proved since the war started at the end of February that they control the Strait by using their expansive military means. They have fired numerous weapons at ships carrying oil, which the U.S. has not been able to stop to a large enough degree to keep the strait open. Additionally, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait which is located next to Yemen is partially closed due to the conflict between the Houthis in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
The closure of these straits out of the Middle East has resulted in an increase in gas and diesel prices globally and in New England affecting commuter students at Dean. AAA reports average prices as of the week of September 16th in Massachusetts is $4.36 for gas and $6.18 for diesel.
When talking to a student who commutes to Dean, who wants to remain anonymous, he said, “The increase in gas prices makes my commute to Dean stressful financially."
Another student who commutes to Dean said, “I have to take the train to get to class which has gotten me there late." This shows how the commute for students to Dean is now a bigger problem than it was before.
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