What you need to know about the North Carolina gas shortage
DURHAM (WTVD) -- A leak in a major east coast pipeline has caused a mess for drivers in North Carolina. People are facing long lines at the pump, higher prices, and some stations have run out of fuel completely.
Gov. Pat McCrory has activated the State Emergency Response Team to coordinate with counties regarding fuel needs.
Here's what you need to know about the shortage.
WHAT CAUSED THE SHORTAGE
The Colonial Pipeline, which runs from Houston to New York, had a 250,000-gallon leak in Alabama. The pipeline runs through North Carolina and supplies a large portion of the East Coast.
Colonial Pipeline is working on a solution to repair the leak, but it could be days before it's complete. The company said they are trying to get additional resources from Gulf Coast refiners to ship supplies.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR DRIVERS?
Drivers are experiencing a mix of problems. Some gas stations haven't been able to get shipments so they've run out of gas. Others are only selling certain types of fuel, often just premium.
Many stations that do have fuel have long waits with lines wrapped around the building.
Seeing high gas prices? Long lines? Share a photo using #abc11 or submit one here.
ABC11 viewers have been sharing photos of what they've been seeing in their area.
WHERE CAN I FIND GAS?
That's a common question from drivers. To help out, GasBuddy has activated its Gasoline Availability Tracker.
CLICK HERE FOR THE GASBUDDY TRACKER
Drivers can also search and report fuel availability on the GasBuddy app for iOS and Android.
WHAT ABOUT PRICE GOUGING?
Most people are seeing higher prices at the pump which was expected due to the shortage. Average prices in the Triangle have risen nearly 10 cents since Friday.
However, there's been some reports of price gouging.
So what is price gouging? Under North Carolina law, it's when the price charged is unreasonably excessive under the circumstances. There is no set price or percentage increase defined in the law, so it can apply to different products and services in times of crisis.
Read more about price gouging here.
So far the N.C. Attorney General's Office has received over 400 complaints
WHEN WILL THINGS SETTLE DOWN?
On Monday, Colonial Pipeline said a bypass for the line has been completed. They expect to turn on the fuel line Wednesday, which they said is a key milestone. Gov. McCrory said that the shortage should only last a few more days if things continue to go as planned.
ANY WAYS TO SAVE MONEY?
There's a couple ways to not overpay during the shortage. The first is to shop around for the best gas price. As ABC11's Diane Wilson reports, often a station with a much lower price is right around the corner.
Another way is to conserve fuel while driving. AAA suggests drivers accelerate gradually and anticipate stops by letting off the gas as early as possible.
Watch: Tips from AAA on how to conserve fuel
AAA also recommends running the air conditioner instead of rolling down the windows, because it actually creates less drag on the engine.
Be sure to check the air pressure in your tires, properly inflated tires leads to high miles per gallon.
