Auto Club: Prices At the Pump Rise for the Second Straight Month

    LOS ANGELES--March 1, 2002--Gas prices have risen for the eighth consecutive week in Southern California, according to the Weekend Gas Watch, compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
    The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips.
    Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.326 per gallon, which is 2.6 cents above last week's price. In San Diego the price is $1.400, which is 3.2 cents higher than last week's level. Motorists in the central coast have an average price of $1.410, which is 2.7 cents above last week's price.
    The price for L.A.-Long Beach is 12 cents higher than prices a month ago; however, it is 26 cents below the price at this time last year.
    "Despite the increases, gas prices have been relatively stable throughout our region without sharp price spikes," said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. "This month the annual change over from winter formulation of gasoline to summer formulation will start in California. Summer formulation gasoline costs more to manufacture, which may result in continuing increases at the pump for the foreseeable future."

Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., March 1:

Area                       Regular      Change from    Record Price
                                         last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach      $1.326       +2.6 cents    $2.036 (5/25)

San Diego                   $1.400       +3.2 cents    $2.025 (5/29)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc                      $1.410       +2.7 cents    $2.069 (5/16)

Las Vegas                   $1.242       +0.6 cents    $1.885 (3/27/00)

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.         $1.063       -1.2 cents    $1.720 (5/30)