A surge of drivers in the UAE at gas stations ahead of the fuel price increase

As the implementation of new fuel prices approaches at midnight on Sunday, gas stations in Dubai and Sharjah witnessed long lines of vehicles; drivers were trying to fill their tanks before the price hike.

Many residents of the UAE decided to refuel before the new prices were announced for June. Some drivers who had planned ahead visited gas stations early in the day, but those who postponed it to the evening faced crowds and long lines.

“Mohammad Faisal,” a resident of Dubai, said that after learning about the new rates on Sunday morning, he immediately went to refuel after lunch.

He said: “I didn’t want to take the risk and wait. I went to a gas station in the Al Nahda area around 2 PM, and there were only a few cars there. I knew people would flock in the evening.”

However, not everyone was that lucky. “Abdulrahman,” a resident of Sharjah, visited a gas station in the Al Taawun area around 7:30 PM after returning from a family visit.

He said: “I thought it would be like always, but there was a line in front of almost all the pumps.”

According to him, he waited about 40 minutes for his turn.

“Cars were everywhere. Some drivers even left the gas station and went to another one. But everyone knew the reason for this crowd; no one wanted to buy fuel at a higher price starting tomorrow.”

In the Mirdif area of Dubai, “Ahmed Saleh” also took all three family cars to the gas station for refueling on Sunday evening.

He said: “There was a line, but it was manageable. By the time we finished, many more cars had entered.”

Drivers say that from around 7 PM onwards, coinciding with families returning from weekend outings, visits to gas stations increased significantly.

Some residents also reported that navigation apps indicated heavier than usual traffic around some gas stations, especially in residential areas.

Source: Gulf Times