LA Auto Club: Thanksgiving Travelers Benefit from Eight Weeks of Lower Gas Prices

LOS ANGELES--Nov. 25, 2005--Gasoline prices in Southern California declined for the eighth consecutive week and conditions point to the trend continuing through the end of 2005, 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 $2.504, which is 7.9 cents lower than last week, 36 cents lower than last month and 20 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.515 -- 8.6 cents below last week's price, 37 cents below last month and 20 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.611, down 9.5 cents from last week, 34 cents lower than last month and 18 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.517, down 8.9 cents from last week, 35 cents below last month and 20 cents higher than last year.

"This is traditionally a low demand time of the year for gasoline, so that adds downward pressure on retail prices," Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp said. "Over the next month, prices could fall by as much as 15 to 20 cents per gallon."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Nov. 24, 2005:

Area                         Regular   Change from     Record Price
                                       last week
Los Angeles-Long Beach       $2.504    -7.9 cents    $2.999 (9/6/2005)

Orange County                $2.462    -6.5 cents    $2.970 (9/6/2005)

San Diego                    $2.515    -8.6 cents    $3.060 (9/5/2005)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
 Lompoc                      $2.611    -9.5 cents    $3.111 (9/7/2005)

Riverside-San Bernardino     $2.517    -8.9 cents    $3.030 (9/9/2005)

Bakersfield                  $2.512    -5.6 cents    $3.167 (9/9/2005)

Las Vegas                    $2.333    -8.5 cents    $2.968 (9/8/2005)