Auto Club: Gas Prices Higher Than Last Month, but off Record Highs
LOS ANGELES--April 15, 2003--While Southern California average gas prices have fallen a few cents from their record highs of two weeks ago, they are still higher than the March average, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge Report.The Southern California average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $2.128, up 4.3 cents from the March average, but down about 4 cents from record highs set in late March. The lowest average price in the region can be found in Porterville, where drivers can pump regular self-serve unleaded gasoline for $2.012.
San Francisco Bay Area motorists now pay an average of $2.140, equal to the March price. Since hitting a record high of $2.18 per gallon on March 21, California's average has fallen 6 cents to $2.12 per gallon for regular, unleaded. A similar, slow decline beginning in late March and early April has occurred in nearly all Southern Californian cities.
Nationally, prices are down 12 cents since the March AAA survey and are now averaging $1.595 per gallon. Georgia continues the lowest state average at $1.411, down 11.8 cents from last month.
"While average city prices have begun to drop moderately in the region, they are still all above the $2 per gallon mark," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "However, supplies have been increasing and crude wholesale prices have dropped since last month. These indicators tell us that retail prices should continue to decline in the short term."
Consumers should continue to shop aggressively for the best price on gasoline, look for ways to limit their gasoline consumption, such as carpooling and combining errands and keep their vehicles properly maintained to increase fuel economy, Thorp added.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County Unl Pre Imperial County El Centro 2.234 2.449 Inyo County Bishop 2.137 2.296 Kern County Bakersfield 2.065 2.218 Ridgecrest 2.089 2.243 Los Angeles County Alhambra 2.082 2.239 Arcadia 2.149 2.314 Burbank 2.112 2.299 Culver City 2.160 2.344 Glendale 2.097 2.283 Glendora 2.134 2.364 Inglewood 2.106 2.296 Lancaster 2.048 2.170 Long Beach 2.119 2.299 Los Angeles 2.132 2.330 Manhattan Beach 2.156 2.279 Montebello 2.107 2.229 Santa Clarita 2.117 2.239 Santa Monica 2.142 2.459 Van Nuys 2.099 2.333 Whittier 2.102 2.319 Woodland Hills 2.124 2.309 Orange County Anaheim 2.114 2.307 Fullerton 2.106 2.259 Huntington Beach 2.129 2.259 La Habra 2.069 2.259 Laguna Beach 2.163 2.385 Newport Beach 2.192 2.396 San Clemente 2.246 2.449 Tustin 2.154 2.339 Riverside County Blythe 2.186 2.319 Hemet 2.105 2.299 Palm Springs 2.190 2.414 Riverside 2.123 2.329 San Bernardino County Redlands 2.102 2.219 San Bernardino 2.142 2.346 Victorville 2.108 2.279 San Diego County Chula Vista 2.140 2.368 Del Mar 2.171 2.359 Escondido 2.104 2.317 Oceanside 2.164 2.426 San Diego 2.168 2.388 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 2.092 2.306 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 2.172 2.294 Santa Barbara 2.191 2.366 Santa Maria 2.113 2.199 Tulare County Porterville 2.012 2.219 Visalia 2.056 2.279 Ventura County Ventura 2.099 2.271 So. Calif. Average 2.128 2.312
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs.
Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.