This piece looks at Memorial Day travel and gas prices across North Texas, naming Dallas-Fort Worth locations and people on the ground like Lori Brown’s reporting subjects, Ray Trevino in Fort Worth, Ashton Hunter and Michael Davis in Dallas, and data from AAA about Texas fuel costs heading into the holiday weekend.
Gasoline has climbed past $4 a gallon across the state, and drivers in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are feeling it. AAA figures put the average regular price in Texas near $4.09, with diesel at about $5.05, and that reality is changing how folks plan Memorial Day trips. Many are still driving, but they are hunting for the cheaper pumps outside the busiest parts of the metroplex.
If you want the lowest numbers, the outlying towns are where you’ll find them. In North Texas the average in Dallas-Fort Worth sits around $4.14 a gallon, but the lowest reported pump was at Q Mart Prism in Hurst on Precinct Line Road, where gas was listed at $3.22. Other towns like Burleson, Celina, Prosper, Forney and Plano showed prices closer to $3.59 on average, which can add up into real savings for a holiday trip.
Industry voices are already pointing to global pressure on oil to explain the jump. “A lot of market analysts and industry experts are expecting the price of oil to go up.” That line reflects a common expectation that geopolitics, especially conflicts in the Middle East, are keeping oil between roughly $95 and $105 a barrel right now. If the conflict eases, those prices could slide back toward $80 a barrel, and pump prices would follow.
Ray Trevino, Director of Operations for Fort Worth-based Pecos Country Operators, sees drilling decisions and corporate strategy as part of the equation. “Right now, companies like Exxon and us here at Pecos are really using capital discipline. In the past, we would obviously begin to drill, baby, drill. And next thing you know, prices would drop significantly,” Trevino says. He adds that overly aggressive moves can hurt investors, but doing nothing also has consequences for the broader economy.
“That doesn’t only hurt the stockholders, shareholders, investors, but it hurts the American economy as well. And we need to find that balance right now.” Those exact words from Trevino get to the tightrope between energy investment and consumer pain. From a Republican viewpoint, the answer is straightforward: encourage domestic production, free up supply, and avoid policies that make fuel costlier for working families.
There are also quick fixes people talk about when prices spike. If President Donald Trump and his administration lift the federal gas tax, prices would drop around 18 to 15 cents, a simple change that would put cash back in people’s pockets at the pump. Trevino also suggested filling up on Wednesdays, a practical tip since prices often dip midweek before climbing toward the weekend.
On the street, drivers are voicing the squeeze. “It’s too high, you know what I’m saying? Like, it takes about 60 to fill up,” Ashton Hunter told Lori Brown when asked about the spike. Still, Hunter plans to drive to Houston for Memorial Day, showing how holiday plans often outweigh the pain at the pump. That decision mirrors AAA projections that more people will drive over 50 miles away for the holiday despite sticker shock.
Others are changing how they get around to cope with the price pressure. Michael Davis, who bought a motorcycle to save up for a truck, said the math on fuel has him rethinking everything. “I just look at the gas, and I’m like, doing the numbers. And I was like, I’m gonna be broke, I am gonna be in debt, not just broke. So I think it’s a little outrageous,” Davis said, a blunt assessment that captures how household budgets are being stretched.
For North Texas travelers the practical takeaway is clear: plan routes, compare pumps, and consider timing your fill-ups for midweek to shave off a few cents per gallon. Outside the metro core you can still find better prices, and a few smart choices can cut the sting of what has become a costly driving season. Information in this story comes from AAA and FOX 4 reporting.
