You’re getting stung by higher gas prices even if you don’t drive

Being able to get around without a car felt pretty good when prices at the pump jumped to more than $5 a gallon on average nationwide.

But it’s not just drivers who are feeling the pain at the pump.

Companies are seeing their costs increase, as well, and at least some, if not all, of that is getting passed on to consumers, either as a fuel surcharge or price increase.

At this point, the impact of higher gas prices is nearly impossible to avoid.

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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed crude prices higher just as demand for fuel picked up, resulting in an increasingly tight oil market and sending gas prices to new highs. 

Although the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline fell to $4.68 Monday after the record $5.016 hit in June, prices are still significantly higher than the $3.14 seen one year ago, according to data from AAA. 

Already, Uber and Lyft have tacked on a temporary surcharge for rides, while airlines are hiking fares to cover their fuel costs.

Grocers and delivery services, such as Instacart and FreshDirect, are charging an extra fee, as are shippers like UPS and FedEx, based on the average price for a gallon of diesel — one of their biggest single costs.

Even Amazon jumped on the bandwagon this April and for the first time started charging sellers a 5% fuel and inflation surcharge, which could mean higher costs for consumers as businesses try to pass along some of that extra expense.

In fact, the price of any good transported on a truck, train or ship could be affected. 

“Anything that’s being transported long distances, at the end of the day someone is going to have to pay for that,” said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com. “Oftentimes, the consumer is footing the bill.

“One way or another, we are seeing higher costs as a result of higher gas prices,” Rossman said.

There’s a reason gas prices rise quickly but fall slowly, and it is mostly due to the available supply and the need to hedge against future volatility, but that also means that even so-called temporary surcharges can last for a while.