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Motorists Get Holiday Treat As Gas Prices Fall, AAA Says

9 December 1997

Motorists Get Holiday Treat As Gas Prices Fall, AAA Says

    ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 9 -- Motorists feeling the pinch of
holiday expenses will get a break at the pump as gas prices dropped for the
third straight month and are now 7.2 cents per gallon less than one year ago,
according to AAA.
    AAA's monthly Fuel Gauge Report shows the average price of self-serve
regular unleaded gasoline is $1.216 per gallon, down 1.8 cents since mid-
November and down 7.2 cents since mid-September.
    The average price of self-serve mid-grade unleaded is $1.304 per gallon,
1.6 cents less than last month and 6.9 cents less than one year ago.  Self-
serve premium is $1.358, down 1.7 cents from a month ago and 8.1 cents less
than last year.
    Self-serve regular unleaded is most expensive in the West at $1.361 per
gallon, down 2.3 cents from last month and 2 cents less than a year ago.  It
is least expensive in the Southeast at $1.126, 1.4 cents less than a month ago
and 9 cents less than last year.
    Other regional prices for self-serve are:  New England, $1.268 per gallon,
down 1.8 cents in one month and 4 cents less than last year; Mid-Atlantic,
$1.202, down 1.8 cents this month and down 7.1 cents from a year ago; Great
Lakes, $1.149, down 1.9 cents from last month and 16 cents less than last
year; Midwest, $1.161, 1.6 cents less than last month and down 11.7 cents from
a year ago; and Southwest, $1.193, down 1.9 cents in one month and 5.4 cents
less than last year.
    The national average prices for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline for
the last six months were:  November, $1.234 per gallon, October, $1.264;
September, $1.288; August, $1.264; July, $1.233; and June, $1.25.
    The national average prices for self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in
December for the last five years were: 1996, $1.288 per gallon; 1995, $1.118;
1994, $1.149; 1993, $1.091; and 1992, $1.128.
    AAA is a not-for-profit federation of 97 clubs with more than 1,000
offices providing 40 million members in the U.S. and Canada with travel,
insurance, financial and auto-related services.
    AAA news releases can be downloaded from the following sites:
AOL -- Keyword:  AAA;  Click on "News and Events," "News Releases."
INTERNET -- http://www.aaa.com/news/news.html

SOURCE  American Automobile Association