Gas tax hike not immediately seen in Pennsylvania

Fuel taxes went up to start the year in Pennsylvania to pay for road and bridge repair as well as mass transit. Many may not see the hike….yet. 

A cap on a Pennsylvania fuel tax is being lifted, allowing a 9.5 cents increase for a gallon of gasoline and 13 cents for diesel fuel.

Patrick DeHaan of the website Gas buddy.com says on the first day of the year the increase was not passed through to most consumers.

“It’s a little bit difficult to tell how exactly how quickly this tax increase is showing up at the pump,” DeHaan said. “The conundrum here for analysts was that prices were on an upward trend here in Pennsylvania but prices have increased about three cents from where they stood on New Years eve so far.”

DeHaan says don’t expect an overnight jump.

“Thanks to competition, a lot of the time increases can’t be as quick as they otherwise could be. I’m sure this tax increase going to show up to motorists but it’s not going to be a 10 cent single increase or even a five cent single day increase, it’s something that gradually takes place.”

With people using phone apps and watching the web for gas prices, the tax might be gradually phased in over several days or weeks says DeHaan.