Howell, Michigan, May 12, 2026, 07:02 EDT
- Regular gasoline in Michigan hit an average of $4.711 a gallon Tuesday, topping the U.S. average of $4.504, according to AAA.
- AAA is projecting 39.1 million Americans will hit the road during Memorial Day, putting gas prices under the microscope as the summer travel season approaches.
- President Donald Trump threw his support behind a federal gas-tax suspension, though Congress holds the decision.
Drivers in Livingston County searching for a better deal at the pump are facing a tighter market these days. Michigan gas prices remain above the national average, and now Washington is considering a short-term suspension of the federal gas tax.
Finding the cheapest pump in town is suddenly top of mind for many, as AAA pegged Michigan’s regular gas price at $4.711 a gallon Tuesday, well above the national mark of $4.504. County-level averages, according to AAA, get refreshed each day. Diesel? Statewide, that average is holding at $6.000—barely shy of Michigan’s record $6.013 set May 4.
The calendar is key here. AAA projects 45 million Americans will go at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day, with 39.1 million taking to the roads—despite gas prices sitting at their steepest levels since the summer of 2022. “Travel demand remains strong,” according to Stacey Barber, AAA Travel’s vice president, in the group’s release. AAA Newsroom
The Livingston Daily highlighted several online resources for tracking down the lowest gas prices across Livingston County, a tip shared via AOL as Michigan’s pump prices bite harder. GasBuddy, which runs a popular station locator, reports it’s processed over 900 million user searches for cheaper fuel options.
Trump floated the idea of putting a pause on the federal gas tax in an interview with CBS News, saying he’d like prices to drop “for a period of time” before reintroducing the tax. The current federal excise tax stands at 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents on diesel, according to CBS. CBS News
It would help, but barely scratches the surface of the surge. Patrick De Haan, who leads petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, pegged the “Iran war premium” at about $1.35 per gallon—well above the federal gas tax. The Telegraph
Oil’s the main source of strain here. Brent crude hit $105.50 a barrel on Monday—Trump had just dismissed Iran’s answer to a U.S. peace plan—then pulled back to $103.50, according to the Guardian. Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club, warned that “severe supply constraints” aren’t going away soon. The Guardian
Gasoline prices in Michigan and across the Great Lakes aren’t out of the woods either. Wholesale prices—still just four cents shy of their late-April high as of Monday—could climb, according to De Haan. He flagged that regional price cycles might kick in “today and tomorrow,” which could send regular gas up toward $4.60 before the week wraps up. Midland Daily News
Congress is the next obstacle for the tax proposal. According to The Guardian, pulling the tax would need lawmakers to act, and Republican members said following Trump’s comments that they plan to file bills. The outlet added that the government collects roughly $500 million a week from the levy—funds earmarked for transportation.
Livingston County drivers face a clear divide. AAA tracks daily price averages by state, metro, and county, but GasBuddy drills down to individual stations, highlighting cheaper spots nearby. The options aren’t identical, yet both have become more relevant for anyone weighing a fill-up—whether that’s in Howell, Brighton, Pinckney, or even farther out.
There’s a catch: volatility. If Congress rejects the tax pause, that’s a miss for consumers; and if it does get through, rising crude and wholesale prices in some regions could wipe out any savings at the pump before drivers notice.
