‘Maybe Buy A Tesla’: Atlanta Residents React To Gas Pump Panic

Caption

A gas station worker tapes 'Sorry out of gas' sign to a pump, alerting customers that only diesel fuel is available. / GPB

Credit: Amanda Andrews

Tina Nixon works in the film industry and commutes to downtown Atlanta from the northern suburb of Marietta. Finding gas, she said, has been a struggle. She's not alone: About half the state's gas stations are on empty.

“I’ve been driving for like 30 miles, and I’m just now finding gas,” she said after finally filling up her car. “A lot of people couldn’t get to work today because of that, so I’m just hoping that everyone can get through this like we’ve been trying to get through the pandemic.”

Nixon said more energy-efficient cars might be an answer to prevent the long lines at gas stations following this week's cyberattack on a critical pipeline that supplies fuel from Texas through the South and up the East Coast.

“You just have to be prepared and stay prayed up," she said, "maybe buy a Tesla or something."

Cecilia Vanderlinde had a similar reaction to the shortage while filing up her tank.

“I was a little bit shocked," said Vanderlinde, a personal chef. "I’m also realizing we’re very dependent on oil, which I don’t like."

The pipeline began flowing again Wednesday shortly after 5 p.m., but the Georgia-based company says it will "take several days for the product delivery supply chain to return to normal."

Bloomberg and Fox Business reported the company paid between $4 million and $5 million in ransom.

RELATED: How To Stop Ransomware Attacks? 1 Proposal Would Prohibit Victims From Paying Up

Shortly after 1 p.m. Thursday, 48% of gas stations in Georgia were reportedly out of fuel.  

According to AAA, gas prices have jumped 25 cents on average around Georgia since the cyberattack began. 

Industry expert Patrick De Haan, also known as Gas Buddy Guy, says Georgia could see "headaches" over the next 7-14 days.

"The situation will definitely take time and slowly improve due to a high number of outages and higher number of stations to refuel," he tweeted. 

Amid the shortage, Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency and temporarily suspended state gas taxes. 

"We are hopeful this issue is short-lived and I'm happy to provide some relief for Georgians who are gonna see higher prices this week,"  Kemp said earlier this week.

Cori Davis, a local contractor, said he hasn’t had to change his routine much at all.

“My truck is diesel," he said, "so it didn’t really hit me as bad. I just fill up every chance, every time, it don’t matter if I‘m 10 gallons short — I just go ahead and fill up.”

Other residents have had to respond more urgently.

Oliva Kearce works as a bartender. She said she got gas as soon as she could.

“I got a text from one of my friends this morning saying ‘Go get gas,'" Kearce said. "I’d been seeing all over the news about there being a gas shortage coming up. ... I didn’t really believe it until I got out this morning. I went straight to work, dropped my stuff off then came and got gas.”

Fuel prices have changed rapidly in the last few days.

Marquese James, who works in film and photography, sees the increase as part of a larger trend.

“I make do; this happens all the time," he said. "I think this is higher than normal, but it’s going to go up then it’s going to drop. Just be prepared."

Kemp has urged Georgians not to hoard gas and only fill up when necessary. 

“Don’t unnecessarily fill up every vehicle, every can you got,” Kemp said. “Give others the chance to do the same. We still have fuel flowing into the state. We still have supply that’s coming in."