Trending Now - Tribal Gas Stations Provide Relief Amid Rising Fuel Costs Due to Iran Conflict
WHO:
KSL.com - Junelle Lewis, a driver from the Seattle area.
KSL.com - Jamie Cross, a resident of New Mexico.
KSL.com - Todd Hall, a resident of Paden, Oklahoma.
KSL.com - Mark Foster, a customer of a tribally owned gas station.
KSL.com - Tanya Burns, CEO of the Tulalip Tribes Federal Corporation.
KSL.com - Matthew Klas, a consultant with Klas Robinson Q.E.D.
WHAT:
KSL.com - Gas prices at the Chukchansi Crossing Fuel Station & Travel Center were reported at $5.09 per gallon, which is 60 cents less than nearby stations.
KSL.com - The cheapest gas on the Mescalero Apache Reservation was reported at $3.79 per gallon this week.
KSL.com - The cheapest gas on Cattauragus Indian Territory was about $3.65 per gallon at more than half a dozen stations, 50 cents less than in nearby towns.
KSL.com - Todd Hall spent about $90 to fill up his tow truck at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation gas station, where diesel was priced at $4.57 per gallon, with prices over $5 at many locations in the area.
KSL.com - Gas prices in the Seattle area reached $4.84 per gallon at the Tulalip Market, which is about 75 cents less than nearby prices.
KSL.com - Nationwide gasoline prices have risen by well over $1 since the Iran war began on February 28th, 2026, reaching an average of $4.15 per gallon according to AAA.
KSL.com - Gas prices on the Mescalero Apache Reservation were as low as $3.79 per gallon.
KSL.com - The cheapest gas on Cattauragus Indian Territory was about $3.65 per gallon, 50 cents less than nearby towns.
KSL.com - Diesel prices at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation gas station were $4.57 per gallon.
WHERE:
KSL.com - Tulalip Reservation, north of Seattle, Washington.
KSL.com - Mescalero Apache Reservation, New Mexico.
KSL.com - Cattauragus Indian Territory, eastern New York state, between Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania.
KSL.com - Citizen Potawatomi Nation gas station, approximately 30 miles west of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
KSL.com - Chukchansi Crossing Fuel Station & Travel Center, between Fresno and Yosemite National Park, California.
WHEN:
KSL.com - The Iran war began on February 28th, 2026.
KSL.com - As of April 2026, there are 496 convenience stores with gas stations operated by 245 tribes nationwide.
WHY:
KSL.com - Tribes are exempt from state fuel taxes, allowing them to sell gasoline at lower prices than nearby stations.
KSL.com - Rising gas sales on the Tulalip Reservation are being reinvested in the community to cover costs for roads, police, health care, education, and housing.
HOW:
KSL.com - Matthew Klas noted that convenience store gas sales are not as profitable as bringing customers inside for snacks and groceries, which are increasingly offered in areas that would otherwise be food deserts.
KSL.com - Tribes generally pay federal fuel taxes but are not subject to state fuel taxes due to U.S. court rulings.
KSL.com - Apps like Gas Buddy help drivers find the cheapest gas prices.
(UPDATED April 12, 2026 05:37 UTC)
Gas prices are showing some significant variation across different regions, with the Chukchansi Crossing Fuel Station & Travel Center reporting a price of $5.09 per gallon, which is 60 cents lower than nearby stations. Meanwhile, the cheapest gas on the Mescalero Apache Reservation was noted at $3.79 per gallon, and on the Cattauragus Indian Territory, prices dropped to about $3.65 per gallon at several stations, 50 cents less than in surrounding towns. Todd Hall shared that he spent around $90 to fill up his tow truck at the Citizen Potawatomi Nation gas station, where diesel was priced at $4.57 per gallon, highlighting the trend that convenience store gas sales are less profitable compared to the snacks and groceries that attract customers into these stores.
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(UPDATED April 12, 2026 04:01 UTC)
Gas prices in the Seattle area have reached $4.84 per gallon at the Tulalip Market, which is about 75 cents less than prices at nearby stations, while nationwide prices have climbed to an average of $4.15 since the Iran war began February 28th. On the Mescalero Apache Reservation, gas is as low as $3.79 per gallon, and the cheapest option on Cattauragus Indian Territory is about $3.65, benefiting from tribal exemptions from state fuel taxes. Rising gas sales on the Tulalip Reservation are being reinvested into the community for essential services like roads, police, and education.