Thanksgiving Fuel Prices Reflect Big Drop From Last Year

20 November 1998

    BELLEVUE, Wash., Nov. 19 -- Thanksgiving holiday motorists
can expect dramatically lower fuel prices than those of last Thanksgiving.
The regional average price of self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline is
$1.086 per gallon, 23 cents below Thanksgiving 1997 and 4 cents less than July
Fourth 1998.
    Nationally, the average price of self-serve, regular unleaded gasoline is
$1.055 per gallon, the lowest price since March 1992, when the price was
$1.049 per gallon.
    A record high of 33.6 million Americans are expected to travel 100 miles
or more from home during the turkey-day weekend.  AAA suggests planning ahead
and having an extra helping of patience.  Favorite destinations for Washington
travelers this holiday include Victoria, B.C., Las Vegas and the Washington
coast.
    AAA Washington is a not-for-profit organization with 13 offices in
central and western Washington.  The club provides more than 590,000 members
with travel, insurance, financial and auto-related services.
    AAA Washington's Thanksgiving 1998 Fuel Gauge Price Averages

      Area by Area Comparison of Self-serve Regular Unleaded Fuel Prices

    City               Thanksgiving '98     Labor Day '98    Thanksgiving '97

    Bellevue                  1.110             1.13                1.349
    Bellingham                1.110             1.10                1.333
    Bremerton                 1.027              N/A                1.284
    Everett                   1.110             1.14                1.347
    Lynnwood                  1.092             1.12                1.339
    Olympia                   1.108             1.13                1.307
    Renton                    1.074              N/A                1.331
    Seattle                   1.110             1.16                1.350
    Tacoma                    1.069             1.11                1.329
    Tri-Cities                1.013             1.08                1.111
    Vancouver                 1.076             1.08                1.354
    Wenatchee                 1.109             1.15                1.390
    Yakima                    1.110             1.12                1.321

    Average                   1.086             1.12                1.318