Cheap gas prices cause chaos in Delta Township

DELTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WILX) - A political stunt had people lining up Tuesday afternoon to get a deal on a gallon of gasoline.

The latest: Gas Prices

The nonpartisan, nonprofit organization Americans for Prosperity launched the $2.38 bargain for just an hour at a Delta Township gas station. The Shell station, located on the corner of West Saginaw Highway and Commercial Drive, was long. It extended past the Lowe’s Home Improvement on Marketplace Boulevard.

Most people who filled up at the bargain price didn’t know what was behind the scheme -- they just felt lucky to be there.

Che Swanson was over the moon about her half-price gas. She arrived at noon and was the first person in line.

“I’m over-excited,” Swanson said. “You don’t understand. Gas at $5-plus a gallon is hard to make any money. This is a blessing in disguise.”

As a DoorDash driver, Swanson said there’s no extra compensation for the increased gas prices, so drivers have to work extra hard to make up for the lost income.

“We don’t get reimbursed and our base pay is only like $2.50, depending on how far we have to go,” Swanson said. “People don’t understand. We live on your tips.”

Nichole was second in line. She had arrived at 12:30 p.m. As someone who drives a Chevrolet Suburban, she said it normally costs her $20 a day just to commute to work.

“I drive this big truck and it only gets about 12 miles to the gallon, so gas for half-price is something good,” Nichole said.

With gas prices so high, balancing her income and gas makes it difficult.

“You’ve got to go to work to pay rent, but then there’s days you don’t have gas money to get to work,” Nichole said.

People who were in line when the hour was up received a voucher so they could get the discount well past the 4 p.m. deadline.

Organizers behind the gas deal helped move the lines along. They received help from the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office, which sent deputies to make sure traffic didn’t get out of control.

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