Only Hawaii Has Higher Fuel Prices Than California

    LOS ANGELES--July 13, 2001--Gas prices continued their slow creep downward for the seventh week in a row.
    But declines around the nation make relief in California look modest by comparison, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded self-serve fuel in California stood at $1.865. Only Hawaii, with an average price of $1.999, was higher. The lowest price of gasoline in the nation is in Missouri, with an average cost of $1.206.
    In the Los Angeles-Long Beach area during the past week, prices fell by 3.9 cents per gallon in the Los Angeles-Long Beach reporting area. The decline was 2.5 cents in San Diego and 2.8 cents in the Central Coast areas. Las Vegas motorists saw a drop in prices of 4.9 cents, while the Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz., area saw a decline of 3.5 cents.
    Since May 25, when the record of $2.036 was set in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area, the average price of self-serve regular has dropped 17 cents per gallon. The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips.
    "Almost everywhere in the country, gasoline prices are in a near free-fall, except Southern California," said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. "Throughout the country, inventories are up, while futures prices on Wall Street and demand are down. California's lack of competition may be keeping prices high."

Average prices as of 12:01 a.m. July 13.

Area                              Regular Change from  Record Price
                                           last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach            $1.866  -3.9 cents  $2.036 (set 5/25)

San Diego                         $1.927  -2.5 cents  $2.025 (5/29)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc  $1.919  -2.8 cents  $2.069 (5/16)

Las Vegas                         $1.607  -4.9 cents  $1.885 (3/27/00)

Phoenix-Mesa                      $1.574  -3.5 cents  $1.720 (5/30)