California’s loneliest gas station attendant — as he watches business booming one mile away in Arizona
Cody Eggleston, a gas station manager in Needles, California, faces dwindling business as customers cross one mile into Arizona to take advantage of significantly lower fuel prices. Despite being located on historic Route 66, his Mobil station and two other nearby California stations see little traffic due to high state taxes and fuel costs. Sales have dropped by over 50% in recent years, with many local residents opting to buy gas in Arizona despite living and working near the border.
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Metro exclusive California’s loneliest gas station attendant — as he watches business booming one mile away in Arizona By David Thompson Published April 30, 2026, 3:52 p.m. ET Cody Eggleston winces as the beating sun bakes the empty forecourt of the gas station he manages in Needles, the small town on historic Route 66 hugging the banks of the winding Colorado River. With turbo-charged pump prices reaching the stratosphere, the slim 28-year-old may be the loneliest gas station boss in all of California as fed-up drivers flee to cheaper pump prices. Cody said savvy fuel shoppers – severely rattled by inflated prices in the Golden State – are flocking just one mile across the nearby K Street Bridge into adjacent Arizona where gas is far more wallet-friendly.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at California Post.
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