LA Auto Club: Ouch! Monthly Average Gas Price Climbs 21 Cents
LOS ANGELES--March 15, 2005--Southern California's average price for regular gasoline rose 21 cents during the past month, and is three cents below the highest recorded monthly average, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report. Prices are about 14 cents higher than March 2004.The Southern California March average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $2.344, which compares to a February average of $2.130. The highest monthly average for Southern California was set in November 2004 at $2.374 per gallon. Statewide, the average price for March is $2.312, up from $2.092 in February.
"Gasoline prices increases really built up a head of steam in the past four weeks," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "With oil trading at $55 per barrel lately, there doesn't seem to be much relief in sight for motorists. The Auto Club suggests that drivers modify their driving habits, combine errands and be sure their vehicle is in good running condition to conserve gasoline."
The lowest average price in California is in Tracy, where regular is selling for $2.16. Santa Barbara reported the state's highest average price at $2.450. Nationally, the average price is $2.048, up from $1.890 in February.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City Unl 3-15 Unl 2-15 Pre 3-15 Pre 2-15 Imperial County El Centro 2.354 2.169 2.539 2.363 Inyo County Bishop 2.384 2.199 2.518 2.342 Kern County Bakersfield 2.305 2.079 2.499 2.265 Ridgecrest 2.329 2.089 2.585 2.345 Los Angeles County Alhambra 2.287 2.066 2.287 2.394 Arcadia 2.337 2.151 2.559 2.299 Burbank 2.338 2.112 2.694 2.264 Culver City 2.399 2.139 2.794 2.534 Glendale 2.332 2.128 2.519 2.292 Glendora 2.309 2.099 2.519 2.309 Inglewood 2.322 2.102 2.492 2.349 Lancaster 2.321 2.083 2.539 2.286 Long Beach 2.324 2.101 2.529 2.353 Los Angeles 2.360 2.142 2.554 2.352 Manhattan Beach 2.339 2.130 2.509 2.219 Montebello 2.334 2.124 2.539 2.399 Santa Clarita 2.339 2.149 2.515 2.325 Santa Monica 2.390 2.190 2.749 2.454 Van Nuys 2.244 2.078 2.432 2.226 Whittier 2.319 2.094 2.554 2.329 Woodland Hills 2.338 2.122 2.519 2.339 Orange County Anaheim 2.300 2.082 2.469 2.205 Fullerton 2.277 2.059 2.434 2.276 Huntington Beach 2.325 2.094 2.472 2.279 La Habra 2.261 2.016 2.439 2.199 Laguna Beach 2.364 2.139 2.664 2.439 Newport Beach 2.403 2.179 2.679 2.399 San Clemente 2.359 2.143 2.539 2.352 Tustin 2.334 2.108 2.600 2.374 Riverside County Blythe 2.425 2.012 2.693 2.278 Hemet 2.346 2.127 2.539 2.559 Palm Springs 2.409 2.243 2.685 2.519 Riverside 2.333 2.101 2.536 2.288 San Bernardino County Redlands 2.302 2.067 2.524 2.259 San Bernardino 2.332 2.112 2.569 2.324 Victorville 2.376 2.151 2.599 2.366 San Diego County Chula Vista 2.308 2.148 2.503 2.362 Del Mar 2.362 2.115 2.539 2.259 Escondido 2.265 2.066 2.470 2.332 Oceanside 2.334 2.150 2.545 2.372 San Diego 2.353 2.152 2.584 2.398 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 2.415 2.210 2.690 2.485 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 2.441 2.281 2.697 2.537 Santa Barbara 2.450 2.288 2.579 2.483 Santa Maria 2.437 2.229 2.599 2.439 Tulare County Porterville 2.319 2.119 2.458 2.258 Visalia 2.301 2.126 2.529 2.321 Ventura County Ventura 2.368 2.161 2.539 2.319 So. Calif. Avg. 2.344 2.130 2.555 2.348
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. Editors, for regional average daily fuel prices nationwide, please go to www.fuelgaugereport.com.
