At the Sunoco station near the entrance to I-95 and Route 13 on Wednesday, a gallon of regular gas was selling for $3.99 a gallon.
Across the street, though, the price for a gallon of regular gas was nearly 40 cents cheaper.
The reason for the drastic, albeit likely temporary, price difference is President Donald Trump.
The “Freedom Fuel Network” gas station in the 1300 block of Street Road is one of 25 around the Philadelphia region that is selling gas for $3.47 a gallon, about 30 cents lower than the national average.
The White House announced the opening of the temporary “Freedom Fuel” gas stations on July 7 as a response to recent gas-price volatility connected with the U.S.-Iran conflict and crude-oil fluctuation.
The initiative was announced on July 7 on X with a video of customers thanking Trump for lowering gas prices.
A White House spokesperson told CBS News on the company behind the Freedom Fuel Network is private and owns 25 filling stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The spokesperson said the Trump administration is not involved with the company and is not subsidizing the gas stations.
The “Freedom Fuel” stations can offer lower prices by reducing their profit margins, the spokesperson said.
AAA data indicated that the national average gas price on July 7 was $3.49 a gallon for regular, down from nearly $5 per gallon in May.
In Bucks County, customers filling up their cars on Wednesday morning largely had no clue that “Freedom Fuel” was connected with Trump.
Upper Southampton resident Andre Goripow said gas is nonpartisan.
“Gas is one of those things that, regardless of who you voted for or who you don’t vote for, you need gas to get to where you’re going,” Goripow said as he filled up at a “Freedom Fuel” in the 10 block of Street Road in Upper Southampton. “Best thing to do is get the cheapest price you can and keep it moving.”
Brittany Graham described herself as a conservative, though not necessarily a Trump supporter, but she is all for anything that saves her money.
“Everything is just so expensive. If I can get gas for 50 cents cheaper, I’ll take it,” Graham said as she filled her tank at “Freedom Fuel” in the 200 block of East Street Road in Warminster.
A clerk at the Warminster station said that the signs went up a week ago, and it has helped attract more business.
“It’s nice to save a little bit of money because I’m a college student trying to get through college,” said Airah Miller, who picked the Warminster “Freedom Fuel” because it was cheaper and close by.
At a Valero turned “Freedom Fuel” station at Route 13 and 4th Avenue in Bristol a clerk said they had been selling regular gas for $3.47 a gallon since last week, saying it was the “usual price.”
Five miles south in Bensalem, a Conoco, which was not part of the “Freedom Fuel” campaign, was selling regular gas for $3.47 a gallon on Wednesday.
Gas prices are determined by the cost of crude oil, which rose due to the U.S.-Iran war and is traded in global markets. At its peak, Brent crude spiked more than 55% and nearly hit $120 a barrel.
The sharp rise stemmed from shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
