Part 5/13:
Truckers, rural gas station owners, and everyday commuters bear the brunt of this precarious situation. With no local backup sources or alternative routes, any disruption—be it maintenance, regulatory restrictions, or refinery outages—results in immediate price spikes and fuel shortages. For example, during pipeline issues, drivers have faced costs nearly 75 cents per gallon higher than the national average, translating into hundreds of dollars more annually for individual households.