WINTER HAVEN, FL — Florida’s fuel shortages during the recent hurricanes were the result of increased demand and interruptions in delivery, not gas rationing, Gov. Jeb Bush’s office told the Tallahassee Democrat. More than 160 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel were at Florida's ports for distribution throughout the state a few days before Hurricane Ivan hit. Jim Smith, president and CEO of Florida Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, told the Tallahassee Democrat that the gas demand was “in good shape until everyone panicked.” Smith said there are 1,200 trucks running gasoline to Florida stations. Each truck holds 8,000 gallons of gas and can reload three times a day, for a total of more than 27 million gallons a day. He added that the trucks supplied four times the normal demand leading up to Ivan. Fuel delivery is expected to return to normal levels by today.
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