LA Auto Club: Gas Continues Lower - Nothing Expected to Stop Trend before the End of the Year

LOS ANGELES--Dec. 9, 2005--For the tenth straight week, Southern California motorists saw gasoline price fall and conditions appear to be right for the trend to continue through the New Year's period, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.348, which is 7.4 cents lower than last week, 35 cents lower than last month and 14 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.370 -- 7.3 cents below last week's price, 34 cents below last month and 13 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.489, down 6.7 cents from last week, 29 cents lower than last month and 14 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.379, down 6.7 cents from last week, 34 cents below last month and 15 cents higher than last year.

"Although prices are beginning to bottom out in other parts of the country, our prices continue downward, due to lower seasonal demand," Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp said. "For the rest of the month, California motorists can anticipate steadily falling pump prices."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Dec. 9, 2005:

Area                        Regular   Change from      Record Price
                                       last week
Los Angeles-Long Beach       $2.348    -7.4 cents    $2.999 (9/6/2005)

Orange County                $2.323    -6.8 cents    $2.970 (9/6/2005)

San Diego                    $2.370    -7.3 cents    $3.060 (9/5/2005)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
 Lompoc                      $2.489    -6.7 cents    $3.111 (9/7/2005)

Riverside-San Bernardino     $2.379    -6.7 cents    $3.030 (9/9/2005)

Bakersfield                  $2.403    -5.8 cents    $3.167 (9/9/2005)

Las Vegas                    $2.232    -4.5 cents    $2.968 (9/8/2005)