By Lisa Vise

With the price of gas increasing 36.7 percent in the last year alone, some drivers may believe gas station owners are gouging prices and lining their own pockets. But at Aris Auto on Somerville Avenue, where the price of a gallon is $3.97, owner George Varelis said gas station vendors are being hit just as hard as consumers.

“Of course, we have had a lot less business. In the last few years, the gas business has been unprofitable. If you follow the news, gas stations are closing,” he said.

Varelis said many customers do not realize just how bad the situation is for those in the everyday oil industry. ‚ÄúCustomers don’t see the increase that we see everyday. Sometimes the price is ‚ÄúX‚Äù amount in the morning, and by noon the price will increase. We keep our prices the same, trying not to confuse the customer.‚Äù On some days Aris Auto has been forced to change their prices, and their signs, three times in less than twenty-four hours, he said. Occasionally, Varelis said, the price for a bottle of gas can go up as much as 10 to 13 cents in a day.

A veteran who has been in the business for the last 27 years, Varelis keeps up with the latest gas and oil figures. As he describes it, he has been in the industry since gas was only 89 cents. “15 gallons used to be less than $15. Now it is often up to $66,” he said. He can rattle off recent prices for the U.S. and other nations from both the present day and from years past.

Today, when Varelis purchases a bottle of gas (approximately 44 gallons), he must pay about $137. The price of a bottle is projected to reach $200 in the next six to 24 months.

Varelis thinks he may have a solution to the problem: consumers organizing and protesting. He thinks this will send a strong message to oil companies that the average person is no longer willing to accept these steep price increases. “If consumers would get together and boycott to send a message, things might get better. Unless you get people to protest against the company, the CEO, nothing will change.”

A consumer himself, Mr. Varelis must also pay for gas. He recently thought of purchasing a scooter, but decided against it because he felt it was too dangerous. This year, between January and March, sales rose 24 percent for name brand scooters. Some motor scooters allow up to 100 miles per gallon.

For now, though, many consumers in Somerville and elsewhere are choosing to walk or take alternative transportation to work. While at the gas pump, Somerville resident Paul Craig said, ‚ÄúI usually don’t drive to work now; I generally walk. Now I try to fill up every time the price goes down. I also try and find the cheapest gas station.‚Äù