California Auto Club Survey Shows Labor Day Travelers Will See Lowest Gas Prices of Summer

    LOS ANGELES--Aug. 24, 2001--Even as wholesale gasoline prices inch up, the average pump price continues to fall in most areas of California, giving Labor Day travelers the lowest prices of the summer season, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.
    This marks the 13th straight week that the average price of gasoline has declined since hitting all-time highs in May.
    The current price in the Los Angeles/Long Beach reporting area is $1.530 per gallon, nearly 5 cents lower than the price at this time last week and 50 cents less than the record high set on May 25.
    The price in San Diego is nearly 4 cents lower than last week's average. Central Coast motorists are enjoying a 3-cent drop since last week. The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips.
    "The increase in wholesale prices signals that we may see smaller price drops or even a leveling off for a few weeks," said Auto Club spokesman, Jeffrey Spring. "As the summer driving season is nearing an end and demand continues to decline, we don't expect to see an increase."

Average prices as of 12:01 a.m. Aug. 24.

Area                             Regular Change from  Record Price
                                          last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach           $1.530  -4.9 cents   $2.036 (set 5/25)

San Diego                        $1.652  -3.9 cents   $2.025 (5/29)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $1.674  -3.0 cents   $2.069 (5/16)

Las Vegas                        $1.378  -1.1 cents   $1.885 (3/27/00)

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.              $1.329  -0.4 cents   $1.720 (5/30)