I drove the length of the state this weekend, from Las Cruces all the way to Farmington and Kirtland, and I was shocked to see the wide range of gas prices.
Gas as I left Las Cruces on Friday was selling for $3.49 per gallon at many stations, and that remains the price today. In Bernalillo on Friday, one station was selling gas for $3.20 per gallon, but most were selling it for $3.35 per gallon. That’s not abnormal. Bernalillo is usually a bit cheaper than Las Cruces.
Then, in the Farmington area, most stations were selling gas for about $3.70 per gallon throughout the weekend. On Sunday I stopped in Albuquerque on my way back to Las Cruces to find gas as cheap as $3.26 per gallon.
The most shocking oddity this weekend was the difference between prices in Las Cruces and Farmington, where gas prices have been roughly the same for some time. What changed? Why is there now a difference of some 20 cents per gallon between the two cities? Why is there now a difference of some 40 cents per gallon between Albuquerque and Farmington? That’s more like the usual difference between gas prices in New Mexico and California.
The change appears to be in the Farmington area. Why is gas suddenly so much more expensive there?
If you want more information, check out NewMexicoGasPrices.com to see what I’m talking about.