Double-Digit Increase in Gas Prices for Northern California Motorists, AAA Reports; 13-cent Jump Since Mid-March; Price is Highest Since Last November
SAN FRANCISCO--April 17, 2001--Giving an early jolt to the summer driving season, Northern California motorists experienced a double-digit increase in gas prices over last month, according to AAA's monthly gas survey released today.The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded self-serve gas in Northern California is $1.90, up an unlucky 13 cents from March and the highest since last November, according to AAA's monthly gas survey. The Bay Area average is $1.93, also up 13 cents from last month, and up 7 cents from a year ago.
"We expect this jump at the pumps will stabilize as we approach the peak summer driving season and gasoline prices should stabilize," said Bronwyn Hogan, "The good news is California refineries have been finishing up their seasonal maintenance and they have increased production."
The highest gas prices in Northern California are: Eureka, $2.13, up 15 cents, Yreka, $2.09, up 21 cents, the largest one month increase in Northern California; and San Francisco, $2.02, up 12 cents. Cities with the lowest gas in the region include: Fresno, $1.72, up 7 cents; Tracy, $1.79, up 12 cents, and Salinas, $1.80, up 12 cents.
Southern California reports an average of $1.79, up 9 cents, with Los Angeles at $1.73, up 9 cents. The most expensive gas in Southern California is Bishop, at $2.09; the lowest gas in the state is La Habra at $1.60, which is 53 cents lower than Eureka's record high this month.
Hawaii has the most expensive regular unleaded gas in the country, at $1.98, followed by California at $1.84, and Nevada, at $1.78. The states with the lowest regular unleaded gas in the country are New Jersey at $1.44, Georgia at $1.46, and Delaware, $1.52. The U.S. average for regular unleaded is $1.59, up 15 cents from last month.
While oil industry analysts believe crude oil prices still need to reach an ideal target price of around $22-25 per barrel, down from $28.29 today, "OPEC has done a good job stabilizing crude prices recently by cutting production," said Alan Kovski, managing editor for Energy Business Watch. "The concern now is price instability caused by speculation over oil shortages this summer." With rising gas prices, gasoline retailers are playing a guessing game of how high prices will go, and they have to avoid buying wholesale gasoline for more than they are currently selling retail gasoline.
AAA Monthly Gas Price Averages, April 17, 2001 City/State Reg. CHANGE NOR. CALIF. 1.90 up 13 cents BAY AREA 1.93 up 13 cents CHICO 1.84 up 13 cents CONCORD 1.86 up 15 cents EUREKA 2.13 up 15 cents FREMONT 1.91 up 12 cents FRESNO 1.72 up 7 cents LAKE TAHOE 1.96 up 19 cents MARYSVILLE 1.91 up 19 cents MODESTO 1.82 up 13 cents MONTEREY 1.82 up 10 cents OAKLAND 1.93 up 12 cents PLEASANTON 1.93 up 14 cents REDDING 1.85 up 13 cents SACRAMENTO 1.86 up 14 cents SALINAS 1.80 up 12 cents SAN FRANCISCO 2.02 up 12 cents SAN JOSE 1.94 up 13 cents SAN MATEO 2.00 up 12 cents SAN RAFAEL 1.94 up 12 cents SANTA CRUZ 1.86 up 13 cents SANTA ROSA 1.85 up 12 cents STOCKTON 1.89 up 13 cents TRACY 1.79 up 12 cents UKIAH 1.98 up 18 cents VALLEJO 1.88 up 12 cents YREKA 2.09 up 21 cents NEVADA 1.78 up 6 cents CARSON CITY 1.80 up 12 cents ELKO 1.59 up 1 cent LAS VEGAS 1.73 up 5 cents RENO 1.82 up 10 cents SPARKS 1.79 up 8 cents UTAH 1.50 up 6 cents MOAB 1.64 up 7 cents OGDEN 1.44 up 4 cents OREM 1.41 up 8 cents PROVO 1.42 up 10 cents SALT LAKE CITY 1.45 up 8 cents ST. GEORGE 1.53 unchanged SOU. CALIF. 1.79 up 9 cents BAKERSFIELD 1.81 up 5 cents LOS ANGELES 1.73 up 9 cents SANTA BARBARA 1.95 up 8 cents CALIFORNIA 1.84 up 12 cents NATIONAL 1.59 up 15.5 cents
Established 100 years ago, AAA offers a wide array of automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. The California State Automobile Association serves 4 million members and is the second largest regional affiliate of the national AAA organization. AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report is the most comprehensive retail gasoline survey available, with over 60,000 self-serve stations surveyed daily every day. Data is provided in cooperation with OPIS Energy Group and Wright Express, LLC.
