Drivers are getting a gas break in Newton, and many believe it’s the result of a “gas war.”
Newell Travel Center and Conoco Prime Time Stores sit within a block of each other. Customers say it’s interesting to see which of the neighbors have a better deal.
“I make a lot of trips to Wichita, it saves a whole lot of money when it’s like this,” said Newton resident George Ray. “It’s alright with me, and I’m sure it’s alright with the people in Newton because, like I’ve said before, it saves a lot of money.”
Some customers, like Bill Fangmen fuel up at the locations multiple times a week. He said for the past six months, prices have been at least 10 to 15 cents less than Wichita. According to user-generated website KansasGasPrices.com, today’s prices are anywhere from 20 to 30 cents less than Wichita.
“Pretty good. makes more beer money for me,” Fangmen joked. “No. I haven’t had a drink in 47 years. It’s a good deal, though.”
Customers believed one of the gas station’s is trying to push the other out of business. A manager at Newell Travel Center said there is no price war between the two, but their store is dropping prices to entice in-town drivers to consider their location, near First and Interstate-135.
“I couldn’t believe it. It hasn’t been this low in years,” said Wilda Gonzalez of Newton. “I can remember when I was a teenager, we used to have gas wars and it used to be 19 cents a gallon. Can you believe that?”
“We’re just competing, and we seem to be winning,” echoed customer Marcella Marling. “I love it. I would suggest anybody and everybody that wants to come north and get cheap gas to come here.”