AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; Ten Week Stretch Ends

IRVING, Texas--Jan. 1, 20054, 2005--The statewide average price for gasoline has ended its ten week stretch of price drops, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.

The statewide average for a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline increased four cents to $1.705.

Corpus Christi posted the biggest increase of eight cents a gallon, but still remains the cheapest on the list at $1.656 a gallon. Dallas has the highest average price at $1.716 a gallon -- up nearly five cents.

"This year's price increases are similar to what motorists saw a year ago around this time," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "Cold weather usually causes oil and gasoline prices to move up as refineries begin to produce more heating oil instead of gasoline."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline rose three pennies to $1.796 a gallon. AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for automobile trips.

Average Daily Prices as of 12:01 a.m., Jan. 14, 2005:

                                                           Last Year's
Area               Current     Change      Record Price       Price
----------------- --------  ------------ ----------------- -----------
National           $1.796   + 3.0 cents  $2.054 (05/26/04)   $1.561
State              $1.705   + 4.1 cents  $1.927 (05/26/04)   $1.480

Austin-San Marcos  $1.701   + 4.3 cents  $1.929 (05/27/04)   $1.474
Beaumont           $1.679   + 2.9 cents  $1.903 (06/01/04)   $1.474
Corpus Christi     $1.656   + 8.0 cents  $1.925 (05/26/04)   $1.485
Dallas             $1.716   + 4.8 cents  $1.932 (05/27/04)   $1.487
Ft. Worth          $1.706   + 5.3 cents  $1.924 (05/28/04)   $1.437
Galveston-Texas
 City              $1.678   + 2.8 cents  $1.922 (06/01/04)   $1.467
Houston            $1.678   + 2.8 cents  $1.909 (06/01/04)   $1.474
San Antonio        $1.679   + 6.8 cents  $1.952 (05/26/04)   $1.456

AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services, and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.