MASON, Ohio — A summertime staple is being affected by high gas prices. 

What You Need To Know

  • Kona Ice trucks are making their rounds to sell snow cones, but it's costing more because of fuel prices

  • The owner of the Kona Ice trucks in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas said they're trying to absorb the extra costs

  • The owner said they're revamping schedules to try and beat the price at the pump

One by one, dozens of kids lined up to get their hands on flavored icy snow cones.

Sandra Andrews has been running Kona Ice trucks in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas for more than a decade. 

She said it just got more expensive because of gas prices. 

“It’s probably 25% more. Last month’s gas bill was $1,200,” said Andrews.

She said they are trying not to increase prices for the families buying the flavored snow cones. Instead, she said they’re looking at ways to cut back other costs. 

“We’re watching our scheduling, we’re trying to schedule our events and our visits so that they’re closer together, maybe not as far apart as we have in the past, but just trying to minimize downtime for the trucks," said Andrews. 

She said they also don’t do neighborhood routes. They only travel to different events, but she said even that can add up. 

“On average, one of our trucks will have anywhere from three to seven events a day. Sometimes a truck will go out to a sports field or a festival, and it will sit there all day,” said Andrews. 

So far she said they’ve been able to absorb the extra fuel costs and are staying out of the red with hopes summer business will pay off.