Some gas stations in the Omaha area are running low on fuel or have run out, according to drivers and at least one station.
Drivers have posted on social media for several days about empty pumps at stations in Omaha, Papillion and La Vista, including some Casey’s and Sam’s Club locations.
Cornhusker Quick Stop, a station in Bellevue, told customers in a Facebook post Monday that the Omaha area is running extremely low on fuel because of shortages at fuel terminals.
“Many stations are completely out of gas and we are just about empty as well,” the post said. “We are doing our best to get fuel but we are at the mercy of the terminals that supply it.”
The station declined an interview.
Casey’s, one of the chains drivers have named, acknowledged the problem in a statement to Nebraska Public Media News.
“We’re aware of temporary fuel supply challenges affecting availability at some locations,” a company spokesperson said.
The company said a variety of external factors affect the fuel supply chain and that it is working closely with suppliers to restore full availability “as quickly as possible.”
The Nebraska Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association said in its own statement that fuel supplies tighten every fall.
“Every year at this time fuel supplies become tight. Some years tighter than others,” the statement said.
The association said refineries switch from summer to winter fuel and perform maintenance this time of year. Harvest also drives up demand for diesel, which moves through the same pipelines as gasoline, leaving less room for gas.
The association said this year is “worse than usual” and that it is not yet sure why.
It said stations that are out of fuel “will most likely not be out for any length of time.”
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a social media post that industry data showed one Omaha-areas supplier, who he did not name, was having issues with with gasoline and diesel fuel, but “the problems are not widespread.”
The supply squeeze comes as prices remain high. Regular unleaded gas averaged about $4.25 a gallon in Omaha on Monday, according to AAA, up from about $2.65 a year ago. Diesel averaged about $6 a gallon, just below Omaha’s record of $6.27, set in September.
Nebraska Gov Jim Pillen on Monday issued an executive order temporarily waiving hours-of-service limits for trucks carrying gasoline and diesel fuel. The order will be in effect through Nov. 18.