LA Auto Club: Gas Prices Travel up Slowly

LOS ANGELES--March 31, 2006--Southern California gas prices climbed at a snail's pace this week, but are expected to continue an upward trek well into next month, 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 $2.751, which is 2.3 cents higher than last week, 26 cents higher than last month and 34 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.742 -- 2.2 cents above last week's price, 22 cents above last month and 34 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.847, up 1.8 cents from last week, 21 cents above than last month and 32 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.759, up 1.5 cents from last week, 24 cents above last month and 32 cents higher than last year.

"Spot wholesale prices dropped significantly more than a week ago, which probably helped slow down the price increases," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "But in recent days, spot prices have spiked again. That's likely to be reflected in pump prices in coming weeks."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., March 31:

Area                          Regular    Change from    Record Price
                                          last week
Los Angeles-Long Beach        $2.751     +2.3 cents  $2.999 (9/6/2005)

Orange County                 $2.709     +1.2 cents  $2.970 (9/6/2005)

San Diego                     $2.742     +2.2 cents  $3.060 (9/5/2005)

Santa Barbara-Santa
 Maria-Lompoc                 $2.847     +1.8 cents  $3.111 (9/7/2005)

Riverside-San
 Bernardino                   $2.759     +1.5 cents  $3.030 (9/9/2005)

Bakersfield                   $2.733     +1.4 cents  $3.167 (9/9/2005)

Las Vegas                     $2.507     -1.5 cents  $2.968 (9/8/2005)