OKC Metro Drivers Split On Whether President Biden’s Gas Tax Halt Will Lower Prices

High gas prices continue to plague Oklahoma drivers, but President Biden hopes to ease the pain at the pump.

Biden wants to suspend gas taxes, which would reduce prices some. Oklahoma City metro drivers told News 9 they have mixed feelings about his proposal.

The tax comes out to approximately $0.18 per gallon of gasoline and $0.24 per gallon of diesel.

While the drivers who talked with News 9 all agreed that a halt on those taxes won't be a big drop, some said it'll be the difference whether they leave their house that day. Others said the gas tax holiday decrease is so small that it's almost an insult.

"About $3, so it's really just a joke," driver Robert Flurry said when asked how much he'd save.

Flurry is just one of a slew of people who grit their teeth as they fill up the tank. He watched his cost hit triple digits.

"It's like, ‘Hey, I don't get to go out and eat this week,” Flurry added. “Cuts into your spending money. It's terrible."

According to GasBuddy, most drivers will save approximately a few dollars per week. The average driver of a pickup truck will save around $5.52 per week. A minivan driver could save $3.68 each week, a full-size vehicle clocks in around $2.94 per week and a compact vehicle driver could save $2.21.

Flurry said those savings won't make a dent in his routine. Others said those extra dollars will make a world of difference.

Troyce Tucker was on his way home from the unemployment office when he stopped to get gas. 

"Being on unemployment right now, they have me on food stamps,” Tucker said. “They already cut the food stamps, so now I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul on the pump, so we're Hamburger Helper-ing it up right now.  

For someone on the hunt for a job, Tucker said driving is a must.

"I have to probably go back tomorrow, so that's why I'm putting more gas in,” Tucker said. “To keep that little cycle going ‘til I can find another job.”

Vannessa Schulz said each gallon of gas burned means something she has to go without.

"I had to fight with myself for a whole week to realize that I'm going to have to get out of the house and just go do something,” Schulz said. “Have a little bit of lunch with my daughter-in-law and spend the money that I don't really have to spend. And I had to struggle.”

The extra few dollars a week could mean a lot more freedom for some.

"It would allow me to buy the groceries I want to but instead of buying the minimum,” Schulz said. “It would allow me to enjoy my summer a little more, to be able to go places instead of sitting at home.”

If enacted, the gas tax holiday will last three months.