Dollars Per Mile

Iowa gas prices are rising with an average increasing over 40 cents a week, reaching roughly $3.09-$3.72 per gallon since March. Prices of this height have not been seen since August 2024, concerning many Iowans, along with the rest of the US. 

Conflicts between Iran and the US have been continuous for many years; tensions have only escalated in recent years. Iran has held positions over critical oil shipping, nuclear technology, and is the top producer of oil and natural gas. 

The US involvement began when President Donald J Trump directly engaged in a splurging military attack on Iran. Launching “Operation Epic Furry” on Feb. 28, followed by massive airstrikes and violence. This involvement has weakened the U.S. economy, affecting global energy prices, such as a significant surge in gasoline prices. Not only is it impacting the economy, but it is also impacting various aspects of American life.

“I have stopped driving a lot more, and I try to drive only to school and back. I also try to get rides from friends if I’m able to,” junior Kaiden Chavez said.

The recent increase in gasoline prices has affected the Ankeny community, making many reconsider their choices in what their gasoline is used for.

Oil production and exports have faced complications based on recent conflicts threatening the ability to easily access such resources. 

Heated tensions and impacting conflicts have been reflected in the US economy, one being seen in the oil production and exports. The closure of the waterway: Strait of Hormuz, attacks on oil shipping in the Strait, causing unsustainable losses or shipwrecks, and closing the shipping lanes. 

“I feel like student drivers are affected differently by gas prices because students are less likely to have jobs, and are usually paid minimum wage if they are working,” Chavez said. “Adults are more financially stable, but may have more responsibilities or places they need to travel. For both students and adults, the situation is unfortunate because driving costs a lot right now.” 

Both students and adults feel deeply affected by these high prices, threatening transportation availability. Vehicles that demand gasoline to function are the primary source of transportation, making it difficult for many motorists to comfortably get to work. Furthermore, the effects of this surge have been reflected among many low-income Iowan residents. 

“Eventually, people will get less [gas], but it’s such a big part of our lives that there is nothing we can do about it. While it would be harder for everyone and differently affect the ability to afford other things, I think in order to manage to get around, they would have to get the same amount even if the prices are higher,” said a local Maverik’s employee.

As a community, we use such resources daily and rely on them; as these prices upset many, it is inevitable for Iowans to escape this reality. Western and Pacific states have the highest rates for gasoline. According to data collected by the AAA Fuel Prices, California averages an approximate of $5.89 for gasoline, seeing a significant increase since last month [$4.64]. Concerns are escalating across the U.S. 

“Last time I checked, the cost per gallon for premium at Maverick was $4.30. This is almost 70 dollars a tank for me, which is hard to justify spending when I was paying less than 55 dollars last year. This makes me think more carefully about driving when I don’t have to,” said Chavez.

Overloading concerns have led many to question transportation and improvements in fuel resources. Prompting many questions like, “What would be the best option to address the increasing gas prices? What would be more cost-efficient in the current economic climate?”

“Our economic system guarantees that prices go up over time. But if gas prices outpace that, then there might be a greater push for public transportation,” Science teacher Lucas Chamberland said. “I think public transportation is a good thing to strive for, regardless of the cost of driving.”

Public transportation is offered throughout the city, ensuring the residents of Iowa have access to affordable, reliable, and safe transportation to their intended destinations. The recent surge of gasoline prices has prompted many to depend on public transportation.

DART transportation services approved a new network of services in December 2025. Announcing the implementation of the new “Reimagine DART,” which will be in place in June 2026. Stating that the main focus is to prioritize more effective services with limited budgets.

“Higher fuel prices mean that we try to reduce, we try to save fuel wherever possible by reducing idling,” Assistant Director of Fleet Facilities at Cyride James Randall said.

Cyride is an agency of the city of Ames offering transportation services to the students of Iowa State University. Many programs like Cyride are government-funded and not severely affected by rising prices. Only threatening many transportation companies, they are adapting to technologies and practices that reduce the use of fuel. 

“I’ve noticed that delivery companies and other goods are becoming more expensive because of higher transportation costs. I think this could continue to raise prices overall, making everyday items less affordable,” said Chavez.

Outbursts in other aspects across the United States have been affected by the conflict in Iran, impacting global oil markets and disrupting supply chains. Farmers are affected by increased fertilizer prices, the unfolding reason behind high production costs and food prices. According to the UN Trade & Development. 

Chamberland bikes to Ankeny High School, striving to reduce the use of cars. Chamberland centers his lifestyle around improving the environment, distancing himself from following common practices that are threatening to the environment. The public’s over-reliance on transportation is a primary cause of environmental degradation, despite the negative impact. 

Beyond the Pump

While prices continue surging, the current administration has reconsidered environmental regulations on oil. As another way to lower oil prices, the U.S. has begun to pull oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which is globally the largest emergency supply of crude oil. Attempts behind the U.S.-Iran ceasefire eased prices slightly, plummeting oil prices for a bit. Although this drop did not remain, as the gasoline prices quickly rose up again, as shown through data collected from Trading Economics. One of the primary causes of these prices was the supply distribution impacting aspects beyond the pump. 

As of April 7th, Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, called President Trump to discuss the cease-fire agreement. After discussion among the officials, they agreed upon a 2-week cease-fire on April 8th. This has since then been extended with numerous rumors of peace talks potentially occurring, as reported by CNN. This developing situation from recent news reports has shown conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah as Israel launched its heaviest bombardment of Lebanon in more than a month of war with Hezbollah. 

Implementing the ceasefire did not gradually pause the levels of escalation, as the Strait of Hormuz serves as a major resource distributor handling roughly 20% of global oil shipments. Troubling the process of gasoline availability. Since Trump’s declaration of launching military forces to Iowans’ concern has grown with increased prices as these prices are not just affecting transportation stability, but are also highly affecting the energy levels in Iowa. Article by the Climate Power News stating 56,068 Iowa households are behind on their utility bills, with an average debt of $710.26.