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Cheap Gas Promotion Drives Buyers

News Channel 8 photo by MAURICE CAPOBIANCO

People lined up for hours to pump $1.99 regular gas at the Citgo on Adamo Drive in Tampa.

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 3, 2008

TAMPA - Lines were long and patience was tested, but drivers queued up for more than an hour when a gas station near Brandon rolled back fuel prices to $1.99 a gallon.

"That's just the best prices in years," said James McMillian, who was topping off the tank of his Ford Expedition SUV.

McMillian said he waited 90 minutes to get to a pump at the Channelside Citgo on East Adamo Drive. He and his friend, Lolita Edge, said the wait was worth it.

"We're loving this," Edge said as she sipped on a large drink and danced along to music blasted from the van of a local radio station.

Cellular company MetroPCS partnered with the gas station to lighten the strain on consumers, a spokeswoman for the wireless phone provider said. Only regular unleaded fuel was included in the $1.99 a gallon promotion, which ran from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

"We're easing people's minds and wallets," MetroPCS spokeswoman Audra Wolf said. "Who can remember a time when gas was $1.99?"

Rebecca Zaccheo of Tampa had a hard time recalling when gas was inexpensive.

"It's been so long since we've seen it so low," said Zaccheo, who heard about the phone company's promotion on local television news. She said she expected lines to be long and cleared her scheduled today to make sure she had enough time to take advantage of the offer.

"I was pretty close to E," Zaccheo said.

Tampa police directed traffic to keep the cars flowing—albeit slowly—to the station's 12 pumps. The line to the station stretched a quarter mile or more during the day. Police allowed two cars to line up per pump.

Jay Bingham said he waited almost two hours to get fuel for his Volkswagen.

"It was not worth it," he said.

Even when his tank was full and the pump stopped at the $23 mark, Bingham kept squeezing the handle to make sure he got his money worth. The fuel overflowed and poured down the side of his car.

"See?" Jennifer Smith, Bingham's friend said. "That's what you get for being greedy."

Over at the next pump, Zaccheo kept her eye on how much money she would save as she filled her tank. She pays nearly $60 to gas up her SUV, she said.

"I saved 20 bucks," she said as the price gauge stopped at $37.05.

She already had plans for the extra money.

"Maybe I'll order a pizza," Zaccheo said. "I'm getting out of here."

A car was waiting behind hers while dozens more still waited in line along the road.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

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