D
8 • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16,2004
Gas prices and delivery services don't mix
By Abby Tillery
atilery@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Gas prices have been slowly rising for the past year and have increased to more than two dollars per gallon at some Lawrence locations. The higher gas prices have had a heavy impact on area delivery drivers.
Casey Myers, general manager of Domino's, 832 Iowa St., said that there had been a "buzz" around the store about increasing compensation for the higher gas prices, but none of the employees had said anything directly to him.
"It is more accepted than anything else," he said.
Pizza delivery drivers are usually paid somewhere between 50 and 80 cents a delivery in Lawrence. Jarret Pons, Lawrence resident and Domino's delivery driver, said they are paid 80 cents a delivery. Pons said he depends more on his tips than the money he receives from the delivery.
High gas prices are still affecting the pizza delivery industry despite the drop in prices through the past two weeks. If gasoline prices tend to stay about $2 per gallon, it might not be just the delivery drivers feeling the hit.
According to Pons, Domino's has increased its delivery fee within the past two years, which resulted in a 5 cent increase from 75 cents per delivery for
Jim Doblin, Public Affairs Coordinator for AAA, said there was always usually an increase in prices at the beginning of summer.
the drivers.
The oil refineries have to switch to a different process for summer gasoline and are not always functioning at full capacity when summer comes around, Doblin said.
Doblin pointed out that gas prices had dropped a few cents, reflecting the increased production at the refineries. The $2 per gallon was higher than usual and might possibly get worse.
"Our national office has predicted a fairly volatile summer," he said.
According to www.fuelgaugerport.com, the gas prices have risen more than 40 cents per gallon since last year, but the price today is nearly the same as it was a month ago.
Julie Hildebrand, spokeswoman for Pizza Hut, said right now there was not a plan for a pay increase for Pizza Hut delivery drivers, but raises were something they reevaluate regularly with all employees. Gas price increases have never influenced the decision-making in regards to wage increases for delivery drivers, Hildebrand said.
"When gas prices go down we don't take away money from them," she said.
Bill Longmire, owner of Pizza Shuttle has a different point of view. The drivers are paid a percentage of the deliveries
photo illustration by Courtney Kuhlen
they make and are given a little extra the pizza delivery business," he said. when gas prices are high.
"Right now is not a great time to get in —Edited by Miranda Lenning
Unclaimed Freight & Damaged Merchandise 936 Mass.
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Directed & Choreographed by John Staniunas * Musical Direction by Michael Johnson Scenic & Lighting Design by Delbert Unruh * Costume Design by Sandy Appleoff
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