AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; Ten Cents Increase at the Pumps

IRVING, Texas--March 11, 2005--Motorists are feeling the pain at the pumps as gasoline prices rise more than ten cents a gallon in some Texas cities, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.

The statewide average price for a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline jumped 8.9 cents to $1.902 from $1.813 in only a week.

San Antonio and Houston tie for the lowest average at $1.866 a gallon. However, San Antonio motorists saw the highest weekly increase of more than 11 cents. Dallas has the highest average on the list at $1.920 a gallon, up 8.8 cents.

"Texas is less than three cents shy of reaching the all-time record price of $1.927 set last May," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "The latest government report shows that crude oil inventories in the U.S. are rising, but it does not appear to be having any affect on slowing down the price of crude which settled at nearly $55 a barrel this week. Speculation in the oil markets appears to be driving up the price. If crude prices continue to escalate, retail pump prices will follow, and Texas motorists may soon see a new record high at the pumps."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline is $2.003 a gallon, up 8.9 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 11, 2005:

                                                           Last Year's
Area               Current     Change      Record Price       Price
----------------- --------  ------------ ----------------- -----------
National           $2.003   +8.2 cents   $2.054 (05/26/04)   $1.730
State              $1.902   +8.9 cents   $1.927 (05/26/04)   $1.605

Austin-San Marcos  $1.874   +9.6 cents   $1.929 (05/27/04)   $1.597
Beaumont           $1.869   +10.4 cents  $1.903 (06/01/04)   $1.601
Corpus Christi     $1.869   +10.2 cents  $1.925 (05/26/04)   $1.625
Dallas             $1.920   +8.8 cents   $1.932 (05/27/04)   $1.616
Ft. Worth          $1.912   +9.2 cents   $1.924 (05/28/04)   $1.604
Galveston-Texas
 City              $1.867   +9.0 cents   $1.922 (06/01/04)   $1.592
Houston            $1.866   +8.9 cents   $1.909 (06/01/04)   $1.594
San Antonio        $1.866   +11.6 cents  $1.952 (05/26/04)   $1.587

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.