AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; Price Decrease Trend Reverses

IRVING, Texas--March 4, 2005--Retail gasoline prices rose or were flat compared to the prior week, reflecting a continued rise in crude oil prices, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.

The statewide average price for regular self-serve gasoline rose two cents to $1.813.

Beaumont edged out Corpus Christi for the lowest average at $1.765 a gallon. Dallas remains the highest at $1.832, up two cents from last week and 23 cents higher than last year's average of $1.598 a gallon.

"Pump prices bottomed out last week due to the increasing price of crude oil futures," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "Crude oil remains above $50 a barrel, partly due to colder weather in the Northeastern part of the U.S. and the declining value of the dollar in international trade."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline is $1.921, up 2.4 cents from last week.

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., March 4, 2005:

                                                           Last Year's
Area              Current     Change       Record Price       Price
----------------- --------  ----------- ------------------ -----------
National           $1.921   +2.4 cents   $2.054 (05/26/04)   $1.679
State              $1.813   +2.1 cents   $1.927 (05/26/04)   $1.566

Austin-San Marcos  $1.778   +1.2 cents   $1.929 (05/27/04)   $1.549
Beaumont           $1.765   -0.3 cent    $1.903 (06/01/04)   $1.553
Corpus Christi     $1.767   +8.8 cents   $1.925 (05/26/04)   $1.547
Dallas             $1.832   +2.1 cents   $1.932 (05/27/04)   $1.591
Ft. Worth          $1.820   +2.1 cents   $1.924 (05/28/04)   $1.580
Galveston-Texas
 City              $1.777   -0.3 cent    $1.922 (06/01/04)   $1.563
Houston            $1.777   +0.6 cent    $1.909 (06/01/04)   $1.559
San Antonio        $1.750   +0.9 cent    $1.952 (05/26/04)   $1.534

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.