Auto Club: Gas Prices Drop 11 Percent in One Month
LOS ANGELES--May 13, 2003--The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Southern California has dropped 23.2 cents or 11 percent in the past month, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge Report.The Southern California average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $1.896, down from $2.128 on April 15, but still 28.6 cents higher than a year ago. The lowest average price in the state is Fresno, where drivers can pump regular self-serve unleaded gasoline for $1.74.
San Francisco Bay Area motorists now pay an average of $1.96, down from $2.14 in April. Since hitting a record high of $2.18 per gallon on March 21, California's average has fallen 27.5 cents, or 13 percent, to $1.905 per gallon for regular unleaded.
Nationally, prices are down about 10 cents since the April AAA survey and are now averaging $1.497 per gallon. Georgia continues to have the lowest state average at $1.307, down 10.4 cents from last month.
"Crude oil prices have remained in the $25-$28 per barrel range and that is the key factor for the current gasoline price decrease," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "As long as oil prices stay in the same range and California gasoline inventories continue to rise, summertime motorists should benefit from lower prices."
While prices are falling, the Southern California average is still more than 28 cents higher than a year ago. Consumers should continue to shop aggressively for the best price on gasoline, look for ways to limit their gasoline consumption such as carpooling and combining errands, and keep their vehicles properly maintained to increase fuel economy, Thorp added.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County Unl Pre Imperial County El Centro 2.065 2.306 Inyo County Bishop 2.002 2.124 Kern County Bakersfield 1.854 2.036 Ridgecrest 1.979 2.101 Los Angeles County Alhambra 1.893 2.019 Arcadia 1.899 2.172 Burbank 1.874 2.139 Culver City 1.951 2.159 Glendale 1.887 2.112 Glendora 1.898 2.099 Inglewood 1.870 2.072 Lancaster 1.825 1.799 Long Beach 1.905 2.083 Los Angeles 1.908 2.116 Manhattan Beach 1.973 2.149 Montebello 1.907 2.137 Santa Clarita 1.879 2.001 Santa Monica 1.940 2.172 Van Nuys 1.852 2.007 Whittier 1.907 2.155 Woodland Hills 1.880 2.073 Orange County Anaheim 1.876 2.086 Fullerton 1.886 2.089 Huntington Beach 1.897 2.109 La Habra 1.886 2.069 Laguna Beach 1.931 2.121 Newport Beach 1.954 2.154 San Clemente 1.950 2.212 Tustin 1.888 2.069 Riverside County Blythe 2.083 2.205 Hemet 1.821 2.017 Palm Springs 1.997 2.199 Riverside 1.871 2.027 San Bernardino County Redlands 1.887 2.099 San Bernardino 1.908 2.113 Victorville 1.843 1.965 San Diego County Chula Vista 1.866 2.134 Del Mar 1.884 2.119 Escondido 1.822 2.040 Oceanside 1.897 2.149 San Diego 1.901 2.122 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 1.921 2.119 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 2.005 2.219 Santa Barbara 1.977 2.226 Santa Maria 1.966 2.119 Tulare County Porterville 1.882 2.039 Visalia 1.860 1.959 Ventura County Ventura 1.896 2.109 So. Calif. Avg. 1.896 2.102
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs.
Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.
