Gas prices have soared more than 30 percent in states like Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico since the Iran war erupted in late February, according to a New York Times analysis of GasBuddy data. The conflict, triggered by a U.S. and Israeli missile barrage, prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, choking off a vital oil supply route carrying a quarter of the world's oil. This constriction has rapidly pushed pump prices higher, with New Mexico seeing the steepest increase at nearly 40 percent as of March 14th.

Drivers like Dallas insurance adjuster Jay Robinson, 42, now moonlighting as a ride-share driver to cope, find their budgets strained. 'I’m already getting taxed by inflation, and this is not helping,' he said. The price hikes, casting a shadow over midterm elections, have forced some consumers to reconsider habits, like filling tanks preemptively, while others endure the cost. The Trump administration has taken steps like tapping strategic reserves and easing sanctions, but with the conflict unresolved, the duration and peak of the surge remain uncertain.