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Milton gas shortage: Where to find gas in Tampa Bay

Brody Wooddell

TAMPA BAY, Fl (BLOOM) – If you’re reading this, you’re probably searching for gas after Hurricane Milton left many stations closed or out of fuel for over a week. The good news is, we’ve gathered some practical tips to help you find gas in Tampa Bay during this shortage. (And yes, we have a list of confirmed locations—just remember, once it’s out, it won’t stay secret for long!)

Here’s where you might be able to fill up without too much hassle.


Finding gas in Tampa Bay after hurricane

  1. Use Crowd-Sourced Gas Apps
    Apps like GasBuddy and Waze are the MVPs of our survival game right now. They let users report available gas locations and estimated wait times. Just remember, this info can change as fast as a Tampa summer storm, so keep refreshing for the latest updates.
  2. Monitor Social Media Groups
    Facebook groups, local Reddit threads, and neighborhood Nextdoor posts have become the virtual gas-gossip hubs. Residents love sharing where they’ve struck liquid gold, so keep an eye out for these real-time updates. Someone’s “just filled up at the corner Shell!” post could be your cue to grab the keys and make a run for it.
  3. Check Less Popular Gas Stations
    Remember those old-school, off-the-beaten-path gas stations you’ve driven by a hundred times and never thought twice about? Now’s the time to give them a shot. These hidden places are often overlooked, which means they could still have some fuel left. Word to the wise: cash might be king at these spots, so come prepared.
  4. Go During Off-Peak Hours
    Gas deliveries have been rolling in at all the inconvenient times—midnight, early morning, you name it. If you can manage to drag yourself out of bed at 3 a.m., you just might find fuel without a two-hour wait. Think of it as an adventure—like camping out for concert tickets, but instead of seeing Taylor Swift, you’re scoring unleaded. Equally valuable at this point, honestly.
  5. Look at Grocery Store Gas Stations
    Gas stations attached to large grocery chains like Costco, Sam’s Club, or Publix might be the heroes right now. Their supply lines are often more reliable. Just remember, some of these places require a membership, so now might be a good time to call in a favor from your Costco-card-holding buddy (maybe offer them a ride while you’re at it).

Confirmed Tampa Bay gas stations after Milton

Below is a list of confirmed gas stations currently providing fuel. We will keep this list updated as new information becomes available. Feel free to email us or comment with leads on gas too. Neighbors helping neighbors!:

List is tentative.

GasBuddy: GasBuddy has activated an interactive tracker for Floridians to see which gas stations are out of fuel. The tracker also allows users to report when stations are low or out, making it a valuable tool for everyone searching for gas. It can be accessed online at tracker.gasbuddy.com or downloaded on both iPhone and Android devices.

RaceTrac: RaceTrac has reopened over 120 locations since the storm, many of which are operating on generator power. While some locations may be missing certain types of fuel, deliveries are on the way as soon as conditions permit. The company has a 24-hour centralized fuel dispatch team monitoring inventory and supply. To see which locations have gas in real-time, you can visit the RaceTrac fuel availability and outage map.

Wawa: Wawa is actively working to reopen any stores impacted by restrictions and power outages as quickly as possible. The company has launched a fuel availability map to help Floridians locate open stations with fuel near them.

7-Eleven, BP, Chevron, Marathon, CITGO, and RaceWay: These gas stations do not currently have official fuel availability trackers. However, you can use their respective store locators on their websites to find open stations near you. It’s always a good idea to call ahead if possible, as availability may vary.

Where to find gas in Pinellas County:

List is tentative.

Wawa

RaceTrac

  • This image provided by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shows an aerial view of the extensive flooding on Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024 after Hurricane Milton passed through the area. (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
  • Water left by Hurricane Milton floods a road inside Pines Trailer Park, where debris was still piled outside homes from Hurricane Helene, in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
  • A house sits toppled off its stilts after the passage of Hurricane Milton, alongside an empty lot where a home was swept away by Hurricane Helene, in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
  • A high rise construction crane broke apart and crashed into the building across the street during Hurricane Milton on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)
  • Toppled palm trees lie along the road after the passage of Hurricane Milton in Bradenton Beach on Anna Maria Island, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
  • The destroyed roof of the Tropicana Dome is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
  • A construction crane fell over into an office building that houses the Tampa Bay Times headquarters, after Hurricane Milton, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Where to find gas in Hillsborough County:

List is tentative.

RaceTrac

Wawa

Stay informed and let us know where you found gas in Florida

Finding gas in Tampa Bay right now can be challenging, but staying informed and sharing information with others can help ease the process. Use these tips and check the list of confirmed gas locations above to make your search a little easier. Remember to update gas apps and social media to help your neighbors out as well. And if you find a secret stash, maybe keep it low-key… or not—after all, we’re all in this together.