No gas shortage in the county

SUSSEX COUNTY— Got gas, anyone? Apparently, there’s still more than enough of it to go around, expensive as it is, refuting worries by some that gas has been hard to come by lately. Some drivers, along with other whispers, have suggested that several times they had not been able to obtain gasoline at the stations they usually go to. But local station owners and representatives either disputed that, or blamed it on late deliveries. “No, I don’t have any problems,” responded Joe Gormley, the owner of Gormley’s Auto Center in Newton. “Last year, back in August and September during (Hurricane) Katrina, we had a problem. But as long as you pay for that 9,000-gallon tank, they’re happy to bring it to you. I’ve talked to various other station owners and they haven’t had any problems getting gas. Out of all the subjects we talk about, the supply of gas is one of the things we never have to talk about.” With prices having stabilized earlier at about $2.85 a gallon, prices have crept steadily to as much as $2.99 a gallon since July 1. Some commuters, who travel 30 miles or more to and from out-of-county jobs each day, have complained bitterly. Still, the demand for gas can be so high that late deliveries can give the appearance of a problem. “Yeah, that happens quite often,” said one Franklin-based station attendant who preferred anonymity. “There’s always an excuse, like the demand for gas. But you schedule time for gas deliveries, say between 9 and 12, and then sometimes it doesn’t get there until the next day. “It just becomes a hassle because you’re not making a lot on gas to begin with,” the attendant continued. “And you’ve got employees standing there, getting paid, and we don’t have any gas. That happens quite often. I would say a good couple of times a month. It’s a shame.” When the supplies are stretched and the deliveries late, the money that’s lost doesn’t usually get repaid, the Franklin attendant said. “You can lose out on 1,800 gallons of fuel being pumped while you’re out for four hours,” he said. “And if you’re a penny below somebody else, you’re going to be busy.”