Statewide Average Gas Price Higher Than A Year Ago, According to AAA Texas; AAA Texas Monthly Fuel Gauge Report
HOUSTON--March 17, 2004--Texas motorists are paying more today for a gallon of gas than they were a year ago, according to AAA Texas' Monthly Fuel Gauge Report. The current statewide monthly average for a gallon of self-serve regular is $1.60. This is about three cents higher than last year's average and nearly seven cents more than last month's average.The current nationwide average price of self-serve regular gasoline is $1.720. This latest price is 1.7 cents below the highest nationwide average price ever recorded by AAA of $1.737 a gallon reached on Aug. 3, 20040, 2003. Last year, at this time, the nationwide average was $1.715 a gallon.
"There are a number of factors that contribute to the current record gasoline prices," said Rose Rougeau of AAA Texas. "The high price of crude oil, cutbacks in OPEC oil production, profit taking by oil refineries, persistent tight domestic inventories of crude oil, and the annual switch to a variety of cleaner gasoline blends used during the summer months have pushed prices up."
AAA's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data from the Oil Price Information Service, the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information.
AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas' members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, insurance and financial products, travel agency, 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.
AAA Texas Fuel Gauge Monthly Report
AVERAGE PRICE OF SELF-SERVE REGULAR GASOLINE
Metro State Mar. '04 Feb. '04 Jan. '04 Mar. '03
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Abilene TX 1.616 1.568 1.481 1.586
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Amarillo TX 1.570 1.490 1.445 1.581
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Austin TX 1.599 1.524 1.476 1.547
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Beaumont TX 1.621 1.555 1.494 1.594
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Brownsville TX 1.641 1.533 1.482 1.504
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Corpus Christi TX 1.614 1.490 1.487 1.549
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Dallas TX 1.617 1.572 1.478 1.602
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El Paso TX 1.601 1.537 1.465 1.550
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Fort Worth TX 1.600 1.554 1.460 1.585
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Houston TX 1.588 1.545 1.466 1.585
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Laredo TX 1.616 1.510 1.482 1.567
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Longview TX 1.604 1.556 1.470 1.586
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Lubbock TX 1.550 1.494 1.456 1.591
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Midland TX 1.625 1.553 1.480 1.596
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Odessa TX 1.584 1.526 1.489 1.584
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San Antonio TX 1.577 1.497 1.451 1.533
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Waco TX 1.554 1.501 1.462 1.542
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Average TX 1.599 1.530 1.472 1.57
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