ATLANTA -- Thursday afternoon, Gov. Sonny Perdue told Channel 2 the gas shortage is not as bad as after Hurricane Katrina. But experts Channel 2 talked to said the gas shortage will not end any time soon.

The price for a gallon of regular stands at $4.04 a gallon. Viewers have told us they've seen prices much higher.

Even as Thursday rush hour traffic waned, the line around gas stations remained.

Station owners said they were trying their best to deal with it. "Look at the people standing in line. So I don't want them to get mad and upset," said

Perdue, attending a groundbreaking at Southern Polytechnic University in Cobb County, said he feels motorists' pain.

"The very fact is that the overall quantity is not at the crisis levels that we saw in Katrina and that these supplies seem to be refilling the lines, the lines seem to be refilling. I'm trying to add some hope to the fact that these lines and these outages will be gone soon. And that if we are wise in our purchasing and our planning we can make it through this period in time," said Perdue.

Perdue said they have been in contact with suppliers who tell him gas lines will be around for a couple more days at least, but the situation is improving.

The governor is urging metro Atlantans to resist topping off and taking unnecessary trips.

"Enjoy your families at home and if you don't have to take trips then don't do that right now," said Perdue.