North Carolina Drivers Pour Into Tennessee

With stations in North Carolina and Tennessee running out of gas between deliveries, drivers are hunting for stations where they can get a fill up.  A high volume of cars are even making the trip from North Carolina to the Tri-Cities in search of gasoline.

First in flight, but apparently last to get gas.  Tarheels are running on ‘E’.

“I don’t understand it.  Everybody else has gas.  My brother’s in South Carolina working and they have beau coups of gas down there,“ said Mark Edwards, Mars Hill, NC, driver.

Jim Harbison from Asheville, NC, didn’t find any problems filling up between Kentucky and North Carolina.

“In Kentucky there’s no problem and coming through West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, we never noticed any problem,“ said Harbison.

His daughter warned him about the gas shortage back home.

“On the way, back she called us and said gas is a problem here.  Fill up right before you get here,“ said Harbison.

He filled up in Unicoi, but you may think you’re not in Tennessee by looking at all the cars.

“Most of them are from North Carolina,“ said Darrell Pogue, cashier at Roadrunner Markets in Unicoi.

North Carolinians are making their fuel trek worth their while.

“I have to drive all the way here to get gas and I’m taking gas back to have extra for my daughter’s car,“ said Edwards.

The gas shortage was caused by hurricane’s Gustav and Ike, shutting down refineries and gas delivery pipelines.

“I know the hurricane, but that shouldn’t be a problem now,“ said Harbison.

But there is still a problem in the gulf region where our gas originates and the continued delays are taking their toll on the economy and lifestyle.

“The community colleges are closed for the rest of the week over there and several of the businesses that’s putting the crunch on who has delivery services,“ said Sonny Berry, Asheville, NC, driver.

And as time drags on, the more drivers are fuming.

“The governor needs to take hold of this.  There is no excuse for this for putting the American people through this,“ said Edwards.

Governor Mike Easley Wednesday assured drivers some gas is on it’s way and larger shipments will come soon.  Harbison who’s retired says he can wait, but if it doesn’t come soon enough.

“I’ll just have to hunker down,“ said Harbison.
In the meantime, North Carolina Governor Easley is urging consumers to take steps to conserve gas by carpooling when possible and eliminating unnecessary trips.