HOUSTON -- It's sticker shock for many drivers -- gas prices in Houston have climbed above $2 a gallon for premium, News2Houston reported.

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Houston Drivers Pay $2 Per Gallon For Gas

A Shell station at the corner of Chimney Rock and the Southwest Freeway sold premium unleaded gas for $2.04 Wednesday. Regular unleaded cost $1.84 and Plus unleaded sold for $1.99.

Gas prices have steadily increased over the past few months.

Drivers were dismayed when they went to fill their gas tanks.

"I just think it's outrageous," said Esther Martinez. "If I find cheaper prices, then I'll stop and put more gas in the car."

Private school bus driver Maria Ramirez said she is now on a constant search for lower prices.

"I have to keep looking for the low prices, because we cannot afford it (anymore)," she said.

It used to cost Ramirez $100 a week to fill up her bus. Now it costs nearly $200.

"I have to pass the price to the customer because the kids need to go to school, so there's no way we can stop," Ramirez said.

Other motorists just consider it the cost of staying on the road.

"I have to pay it. I have no choice," an unidentified driver said.

Analysts blame the economy for the high prices.

"The value of the dollar has dropped about 30 percent in the last four years. And that may be good for U.S. exports, but it's not good for U.S. imports. So, anything we import is going to cost about 30 percent more," said Barbara Shook, with Energy Intelligence Group.

Shook said gas station owners are not benefiting from the higher prices and their profit margin remains the same.

Unleaded gasoline rose to a record high of a $1.31 per gallon on the New York Mercantile Exchange Wednesday, while the price of oil rose to a new 13-year high of $38.98 a barrel.

Analysts said prices are likely to remain high and could rise further, due to ravenous global demand and petroleum producers' reluctance to boost supplies.

Recent terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia and Iraq have also inflamed the markets.

In California, gas prices average $2.16 a gallon. In Nevada, gas costs an average of $2.12 a gallon, while in Queens, N.Y., gas has been spotted for $2.19 a gallon.

News2Houston and Click2Houston.com want to help viewers find the cheapest gas prices around town to help alleviate "Pain at the Pump." If you see a gas station with low prices, e-mail us the price, along with the exact location and station name to painatthepump@click2Houston.com.