As the average price for a gallon of gas hit around $4 across most of the state, its highest point in more than three years, customers and businesses across western Maine are feeling the pinch. Most are moving forward with the “life must go on” motto, however.

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BETHEL — Zach Gates had just filled the large diesel truck he uses for his job at Maine Energy Systems on his way to deliver pellets to a customer in Bethel on April 2. He didn’t have time to talk to a reporter about gas prices; instead he pointed to the pump: $300.

At the Big Apple on Mayville Road, diesel was $5.92 a gallon, down from $5.99 earlier in the week.

“We have to be more conservative with the fuel we’re burning with the equipment we’re using; at six dollars a gallon (for diesel) we have to be careful,” Bethel contractor Wayne Buck said. “We’re supposed to get cheaper prices and we haven’t. It’s going the other way.”

Asked about his personal gas use, he said, “less in savings and more to gas.”

At the nearby Irving station on Mayville Road, Brady Chapman filled his Ford truck halfway for $50, with gas at $4.09 a gallon.

“I’m hypersensitive about efficiency; maybe not so hypersensitive about pennies at the gas pump because it’s all baked into the cake,” said Chapman, who co-owns Top Notch Tree Service with Loretta Long. “I don’t plug in the gas prices until it gets out of control.”

The business operates four gas-powered Ford pickups, along with a diesel bucket truck and a diesel grapple truck for hauling logs.

Prices at the Rusty Lantern Irving station April 3 in Bethel increased 10 cents from the day before to $4.19 for regular gas. Prices at three nearby stations hovered at or just under $4 per gallon.

On Monday, employee Leanna Donahue, taking a break in her car, said people are still coming despite the high price.

“The gas sales are even with what they have been all winter,” Donahue said.

As a Walmart delivery driver who lives in Albany Township and has family in Dixfield, she tracks gas prices across a wide stretch from Bethel.

Donahue said she can’t explain the variation in prices, but it’s possibly because they are different stores. Asked if she had filled up her car in Rumford already, she said, “I did.”

— Rose Lincoln, staff writer

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RANGELEY — Gas prices in Rangeley have risen by more than 30 cents at one station in the past week. The IGA pumps listed fuel for $3.89 a gallon Friday afternoon. By Saturday morning, the price had jumped to $4.09. Diesel was $5.69.

At the Fabian gas station, the price for regular unleaded gas Monday, April 6, was $3.96 a gallon, up from $3.75 late last week.

While drivers everywhere are feeling the burn at the pump, some feel there is no way out but through.  

“I think it’s a little ridiculous,” said Trevor Dolbier, who was in town visiting family for the Easter weekend. “Personally, I think gas is just one of those things that you have to buy. You have to buy it no matter how much it costs.”

For now, Dolbier and drivers across the country will have to play the waiting game until costs go down.

“Eventually, it’ll have to go down,” he said. “It’s happened before, and it’ll keep happening.”

— Quentin Blais, staff writer

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RUMFORD — Late last week, prices at the Irving/Circle K at the bottom of Falls Hill in Rumford were $3.87 for regular.

At another Irving in Mexico, on the corner of Route 2 and Roxbury Road, prices were $3.87. On Monday, the price at that Irving jumped to $4.19 for regular.

However, at C.N. Brown in Mexico on Monday, the price dropped down to $3.87 per gallon.

Residents in the region are thinking about how the rise in prices is going to affect their household budgets.

“It’s a little bit more expensive and it’s going to impact me when I go grocery shopping in a few minutes,” said Teri Hoff, of Mexico. “From here, I’m going to Hannaford. Once they go up, they never go down, do they?”

Scott Dillon, of Peru, says he usually visits his sister in Connecticut this time of year.

“Three hundred miles of high gas prices is going to add $30 on the trip most likely,” he said. “It won’t stop me, but it will affect my decisions over the course of the summer because I’m retired now. Save a buck, cut more wood, I guess.”

Nikki Broughton, of Dixfield, said she will have to do more planning.

“Well, we’re a one-income family. So, it’s kind of hard. But I guess we have to make it work, right?” she said. “How else do I live if I don’t? Definitely have to plan ahead. And we’ve used more supplemental wood because of the cost of fuel.”

Rumford Public Works Supt. Dale Roberts said his department has to keep operating regardless, but is paying close attention to prices.

“Well, we’ve still got to do our work,” he said. “It’s got to drop sometime. This country has got enough oil, they could supply their own oil for us.”

But if it does go higher, Roberts said they would have to look at “not doing so much with our equipment, parking them and trying to cut back on stuff.”

“I’m just waiting to see what the hot top prices are going to be. With the price of fuel up, that spikes the hot top because of the crude oil,” he said. Funding for road projects using asphalt will be discussed at the April 16 meeting of the Select Board, he said.

Antonio Wanton, of Mexico, is worried about heating his home, too.

“Gas is needed. Not getting anywhere without your car,” he said. “But the biggest hit is oil for heating. That’s a huge increase. It went from three to five dollars. Crazy. I have a family, too, so it makes me conscious of what I spend.”

Jeremy Volkernick, of Rumford, said he’s in the planning stage of determining menu prices for the fifth season operating his Volkernick Sausage food truck.

“It’s hard because I’m still dealing with fuel prices,” he said, noting that product prices continue to fluctuate.

“And yesterday, I saw the gas price jump up to $4.01. … I’m about ready to open up and I’ve almost established my prices for my menu … so do I leave my price alone or do I jack it up? If you ask too much money, the customer is going to suffer.”

Volkernick said that’s part of why he is not opening up yet.

“I want to open up, but once I set my prices, I don’t change them. I’m hoping to open up in a few more weeks,” he said. “My profit margin is going to hurt. I’m not going to expect the customer to pay for that (increase). If my prices go up, then my customer might say ‘I’m not going to buy this today.'”

Volkernick said he is prepared to take a loss.

“It’s not about making so much money,” he said. “In some way, I’m going to have to take a loss because your customers are your number one priority. And it’s not just me. I’m sure everybody is dealing with that.”

— Bruce Farrin, staff writer

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FARMINGTON — Gas prices in southern Franklin County hovered around $4 in most places.

Gas prices were posted at $3.91 per gallon at the Cumberland Farms in Livermore Falls on April 6. The station’s sign advertises member pricing slightly lower, while regular prices remain near the $4 mark.

Elsewhere in Livermore Falls, the price for regular gas rose to $3.99 at Long Green Variety on Route 4.

Prices hit $4.03 over the weekend in Farmington, however. In nearby Buckfield it was at $3.99 on Monday and rocketed to $4.19 at the Rusty Lantern’s Irving on Auburn Road in Turner.

Stevie Hellenbeck, of Industry, at the Irving gas station at 309 Main St. said, “Well, we filled the truck with 40 dollars worth of gas and only got 9 gallons. It feels really unaffordable.”

— Rebecca Richard, staff writer

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SOUTH PARIS — Filling up his teenage grandson’s car Monday at Big Apple in West Paris, retired teacher Mike Carter said he hasn’t felt the impact of the rise in gas prices too much yet, but it was starting to come into focus.

While the price for regular gas was $4.08, his grandson’s car only takes plus or higher fuel, so he was paying $4.63 a gallon. “Filling my grandson’s car is an expensive proposition,” the South Paris resident said.

Home heating fuel has also been on Carter’s mind. He said he feels fortunate that he filled his oil tank before the prices hit $4 a gallon but said he still paid more than that because he has an outside tank. His sister took a hit when she bought oil a few weeks ago when it was close to $5, and it’s only gone up since then.

Carter said lack of competition may be contributing to prices rising.

“We have Big Apples, Rusty Lanterns, or Nouria, which are all part of big chains,” he said. “There isn’t as much competition. … But maybe if we had more than a few options, or companies, it might be less.”

“But the trucks need fuel to deliver it. That’s why grocery prices are going up — the cost to transport groceries. Especially the perishables. They pay more, we pay more for the groceries.”

— Nicole Carter, staff writer