Auto Club: Lower Gas Prices for Seventh Straight Week

LOS ANGELES--June 3, 2005--Despite a record number of Southern California drivers making Memorial Day weekend getaways, which often drives up gas prices, motorists were paying less at the pump for the seventh consecutive week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.408, which is 4 cents lower than last week, 18 cents lower than last month and 4 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.405, a 4-cent decline from last week, 18 cents below last month and 5 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.547, down 2.8 cents from last week, 17 cents lower than last month and 7 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.394, down 4.5 cents from last week, 22 cents below last month and 1 cent above last year.

"Gas prices dropped at a slightly slower pace than the prior week, which can be attributed to level crude oil prices and the increased demand over the holiday weekend," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "However, analysts tell us there is still some room for prices to drop in the coming weeks."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., June 3.

Area                           Regular  Change from    Record Price
                                         last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach          $2.408  -4.0 cents  $2.625 (4/13/2005)

Orange County                   $2.403  -4.2 cents  $2.605 (4/21/2005)

San Diego                       $2.405  -4.0 cents  $2.626 (4/12/2005)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
 Lompoc                         $2.547  -2.8 cents  $2.730 (4/29/2005)

Riverside-San Bernardino        $2.394  -4.5 cents  $2.649 (4/13/2005)

Bakersfield                     $2.381  -4.1 cents  $2.682 (4/22/2005)

Las Vegas                       $2.295  -2.0 cents  $2.534 (4/14/2005)