AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch; Pump Prices Hold Steady

    HOUSTON--Aug. 9, 2002--Despite decreases in some major Texas cities, the statewide average price for regular self-serve held steady during the week at $1.33 a gallon. The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips.
    The least expensive gasoline can be purchased in Corpus Christi at $1.27 a gallon, down 0.6 cent since last week. Motorists in San Antonio are paying a penny more at $1.28 a gallon -- the same as last week. Fuel in the Austin-San Marcos area is also $1.28 a gallon, down 0.4 cent. Again, Dallas tops the list at $1.35 a gallon for regular self-serve.
    "More price decreases may be in store for consumers," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "Refiners will begin phasing out production of the more expensive reformulated fuel requirements as we move closer to the end of the summer."

	   Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., Aug. 9, 2002:

                                 Change from
Area                  Regular     last week          Record Price
----                  -------    -----------         ------------
Austin - San Marcos   $1.277      - 0.4 cent       $1.538 (5/15/01)

Corpus Christi        $1.272      - 0.6 cent       $1.505 (5/8/01)

Dallas                $1.345      - 0.3 cent       $1.666 (5/12/01)

Ft. Worth             $1.335      - 0.4 cent       $1.660 (5/22/01)

Houston               $1.322      - 0.4 cent       $1.639 (5/12/01)

San Antonio           $1.278       no change       $1.498 (5/9/01)

    AAA Texas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas' members benefit by the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.