Gasoline prices ALWAYS rise at this time of year, as refiners are switching from Winter to Summer blends. This requires short-term shutdowns at refineries, but that is enough to cause spot shortages that increase prices across the board. There are over seventy distinct blends that vary by region, state, and time of year. Instead of blaming the oil companies, try placing the blame where it belongs - on the governmental agencies that require refiners to jump through hoops.