Courtney Luciana Photo
Money up front: Torres gases up the shuttle.
Shakira Rodriguez Torres spent $90 filling half her tank with 19 gallons of gas Wednesday at the Long Wharf Mobil — and she wasn’t pleased.
Torres, born and raised in New Haven, brought her shuttle bus to the pump at 9:30, as part of her job with Propark Mobility at Yale New Haven Health. She has had the transport job for a month; she starts her shift everyday at 5:30 a.m.
She was working a split schedule Wednesday, set to go off the clock at 11 a.m, return at 2 p.m., then finish her shift by 6 p.m.
Torres drove a school bus for First Student before taking on this job. Because of fast-rising gas prices consistently elevating, she’s already interested in finding another job.
“New Haven has just gotten worse in my opinion,” Torres said in a conversation on the “Word on the Street” segment of WNHH FM’s “LoveBabz LoveTalk” program, as she pumped gas into the Propark shuttle. “Because of all of the violence. Everything is costing more — gas, food, and just everything in general.”
Torres, 26, currently lives in Ansonia, raising two young children. She’s not only spending money to get to and from work, but she’s paying for her work vehicle’s gas tank to be filled out of her own pocket.
“It takes maybe two weeks to get reimbursed after you get your check,” Torres said.
(After this story was published, Propark Assistant Vice-President Dennis Safford wrote in with this response: “Regarding the statements made by our employee on the New Haven Independent live stream and article, Propark Mobility would like to offer clarity. Propark does not require any of our employees to pay for fuel. We provide our employees with a company credit card to pay for company fueling expenditures. We are confused as to the mischaracterization of the facts and appreciate anything that can be done to update the story.”)
The price per gallon ranged from 4.59.9 to 5.29.9 at the Long Wharf pump Wednesday, reflecting internationally skyrocketing gas prices predicted to soar even higher as a result of President Biden’s ban on oil from Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Leaders are asking drivers to sacrifice at the pump in order in support the cause of Ukrainians bearing deadly bombings and fighting back against an invading army. Torres said Wednesday that she doesn’t support Biden’s move. She said a part of that reason is because she’s raising a 4‑year-old and a 1‑year old, which is costly enough.
“I haven’t done much research on what’s going on with the war,” Torres said. “But I’m upset because we’re the ones suffering at the end of the day. I have kids, and everything is blowing up. Diapers, clothes — everything.”
“It just feels like everything that happens out of the U.S. always ends up with us suffering,” Torres said. “I see it happen all of the time. Especially now.”
When Torres isn’t working for Propark Mobility, she’s busy taking care of her kids.
“Of course I get overwhelmed sometimes,” Torres said. “I think all of my friends and family — we’re just trying to manage the best we can right now. You have to do it.”
She finished filling the tank and made sure to collect her receipt.
“One time I lost it, and it was for $140 dollars worth of gas,” she said.
Torres hopped back into her work shuttle and drove off. Cars continued to pull into the lot, as drivers adjusted to a new normal.
Click on the above video to watch the full conversation at the pump with Shakira Rodriguez Torres on the “Word on the Street” segment of WNHH FM’s “LoveBabz Love Talk” program.