AAA Texas: Weekend Gas Watch; The New Year Brings Lower Gas Prices

HOUSTON--Dec. 3, 20050, 2005--The end of the year is wrapping up on a high note for motorists, with gas prices falling for the first time after three weeks of price increases, according to the AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.

The statewide average price for a gallon of regular self serve is $2.133 a gallon -- a drop of three cents. Dallas tops the list for the third straight week as the city with the highest average -- down three cents to $2.158 a gallon. Corpus Christi dropped seven cents to $2.005 a gallon to have the lowest average on the survey.

"Gasoline prices have fallen 83 cents since their record highs in September," AAA Texas spokesperson Rose Rougeau said. "After the New Year, pump prices in the state typically turn down due to a decrease in demand."

The national average for regular self-serve gasoline is $2.187 a gallon -- two cents higher than last week's average.

AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline in Texas.

Average Daily Prices as of 12:01 AM, December 30, 2005

                             Weekly                Weekly
Area             12/30/05    Change    12/23/05    Change    12/15/05
---------------- --------- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
National          $2.187   -2.1 cents   $2.208   +1.6 cents   $2.192
State             $2.133   -2.8 cents   $2.161   +1.7 cents   $2.144
Austin - San
 Marcos           $2.124   -1.6 cents   $2.140   +2.8 cents   $2.112
Beaumont          $2.150   -1.3 cents   $2.163   +2.9 cents   $2.134
Corpus Christi    $2.005   -6.8 cents   $2.073   +0.8 cent    $2.065
Dallas            $2.158   -2.7 cents   $2.185   +2.0 cents   $2.165
Ft. Worth         $2.146   -3.2 cents   $2.178   +2.3 cents   $2.155
Galveston -
 Texas City       $2.128   -3.2 cents   $2.160   +2.2 cents   $2.138
Houston           $2.131   -2.5 cents   $2.156   +1.5 cents   $2.141
San Antonio       $2.068   -2.2 cents   $2.090   +0.6 cent    $2.084


Area               Record High      2004 Average
---------------- ---------------- ----------------
National          $3.057 (9/5/05)     $1.777
State             $2.964 (9/4/05)     $1.681
Austin - San
 Marcos           $2.918 (9/6/05)     $1.683
Beaumont          $2.930 (9/4/05)     $1.653
Corpus Christi    $2.929 (9/3/05)     $1.590
Dallas            $3.019 (9/4/05)     $1.684
Ft. Worth         $3.012 (9/4/05)     $1.673
Galveston -
 Texas City       $2.997 (9/4/05)     $1.663
Houston           $2.971 (9/6/05)     $1.668
San Antonio       $2.909 (9/4/05)     $1.631