Gas Is Almost $4 in Florida. Here's What That Means for Jacksonville Drivers.

Gas in Florida hit $3.879 a gallon today, March 28, according to AAA. The national average crossed $3.981.

Four weeks ago, before the US-Israel war with Iran began, you were paying $2.98. That's a $1.05 jump in under 30 days — the fastest price increase Florida has seen in four years, according to AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins.

And it's probably not done yet.

Where Prices Are Headed

Goldman Sachs and Stanford University economists have both forecast US gas prices peaking at $4.36 a gallon in May — assuming the Strait of Hormuz stays blocked for no more than a few weeks. As of this week, it's been effectively closed for nearly a month, with Iran showing no intention of backing down.

"With the Strait of Hormuz closed longer than originally estimated, pump prices will stay higher for longer and take a greater toll on our pocketbooks," said Stanford economics professor Neale Mahoney this week.

If the conflict drags on past May, those forecasts get revised higher. California is already at $5.62. Washington State is at $5.15. Florida tends to trail those markets by a few weeks.

The Real Math for Jacksonville Drivers

Jacksonville is a spread-out city. Unlike Miami or Orlando, getting around here requires real mileage. That makes every cent per gallon hit harder than it does in denser metro areas.

Here's what actual fill-ups look like at Florida's current $3.879 average — and at the forecast $4.36 peak:

Ram 2500 or F-250 (large truck):

• Today: ~$103 to fill
• At $4.36: ~$116

Ford F-150 or Ram 1500 (standard truck):

• Today: ~$83 to fill
• At $4.36: ~$94

Toyota Camry:

• Today: ~$51 to fill
• At $4.36: ~$57

Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla:

• Today: ~$40 to fill
• At $4.36: ~$45

The difference between driving a truck getting 14 mpg versus a sedan getting 30 mpg — at today's Florida price, on 1,000 miles a month — is $148 every single month. At the forecast $4.36 peak, that gap widens to $167 a month.

Over a year, that's nearly $2,000 in extra fuel just from vehicle choice.

The Car That Was "Good Enough" May Not Be Anymore

A lot of Jacksonville households keep an extra truck or SUV around for occasional use. It runs. It's paid off. It seemed fine to keep when gas was under $3.

At $3.879 — and heading toward $4.36 — the calculus changes.

If you're fueling a large truck or SUV that mostly sits or handles light daily driving, you're paying a heavy-duty fuel premium for capability you're rarely using. Add insurance — Jacksonville full-coverage averages $212 a month — and registration, and that "paid-off" vehicle costs $300 to $400 a month before a single repair.

Every month you hold it is another month of those costs at elevated fuel prices.

Selling Now vs. Waiting

There's always a reason to hold off. But the case for acting now is strong.

You get cash today. Whatever your vehicle is worth — running or not — converts to a lump sum immediately.

You stop the monthly bleed immediately. No more gas on a vehicle you barely use. No more insurance. No more registration.

Larger vehicles pay more in scrap. The size that makes trucks and SUVs expensive to fuel also means more metal — which works in your favor on the offer.

Fuel prices won't recover quickly. The Strait of Hormuz disruption is the largest oil supply shock in decades. Even if a ceasefire happens tomorrow, damaged infrastructure takes months to restore. Cheap gas in 2026 is not a realistic expectation.

What Your Vehicle Is Worth Today

Call (904) 666-4487 or get a free quote online. Two minutes, a real cash number, same-day pickup available across Jacksonville and Duval County.

Gas was $2.98 a month ago. It's $3.879 today. By May, forecasts say $4.36.

The window to make the smart move isn't getting wider.