Pre-Labor Day Gas Prices Take Major Jump
25 August 1999
Pre-Labor Day Gas Prices Take Major Jump
LOS ANGELES--Aug. 24, 1999--Labor Day holiday travelers are expected to take to the road in near record numbers, but they will be paying more to fuel their journeys.While gas prices often increase a few cents before holiday weekends, the average price of a gallon of regular self-serve unleaded gasoline in Southern California went up 12.1 cents during the past month, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California Fuel Gauge Report. The August average price is $1.514 compared with $1.393 on July 20.
Southern California gas prices peaked at an average of $1.61 for a gallon of regular self-serve unleaded in April; went down to $1.35 a gallon in June and have been increasing for the past two months. A gallon of regular self-serve unleaded cost an average of $1.19 in January.
Despite rising costs, Southern California motorists are still paying less per gallon for unleaded than the August state average of $1.549. The August national average is $1.255, up 8.1 cents from July.
Travelers to northern California can expect to pay an average of $1.65 for regular, up six cents from last month. San Francisco is higher at an average of $1.74 per gallon for regular.
Lack of production at Chevron's Richmond plant continues to be a factor in rising California gas prices, according to oil industry analysts. The refinery restarted a key gasoline unit last week, but the plant is still not producing at full capacity.
Nationally, U.S. demand for gasoline remains high while OPEC oil producers continue to stand by their decision to reduce output. Some oil industry analysts believe OPEC's refusal to increase oil production will result in still higher gasoline prices. The OPEC nations have said they will not increase production until next spring.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
UNL PRE
Imperial County
El Centro 1.7050 1.8670
Kern County
Bakersfield 1.5642 1.7443
Ridgecrest 1.6445 1.7990
Los Angeles County
Alhambra 1.4526 1.6368
Arcadia 1.4484 1.6590
Burbank 1.4561 1.6258
Culver City 1.5017 1.6784
Glendale 1.4553 1.6276
Glendora 1.4814 1.6030
Inglewood 1.4701 1.6544
Lancaster 1.4923 1.6690
Long Beach 1.4160 1.5982
Los Angeles 1.4764 1.6393
Manhattan Beach 1.4963 1.7060
Montebello 1.4364 1.6110
Santa Clarita 1.5453 1.7176
Santa Monica 1.5562 1.7163
Van Nuys 1.4151 1.5811
Whittier 1.3811 1.5573
Woodland Hills 1.4650 1.6405
Orange County
Anaheim 1.3990 1.5521
Fullerton 1.3949 1.5702
Huntington Beach 1.3648 1.5446
La Habra 1.3670 1.5335
San Clemente 1.4977 1.7490
Newport Beach 1.4669 1.6761
Tustin 1.4358 1.5872
Laguna Hills 1.4686 1.5623
Riverside County
Riverside 1.4400 1.5981
Palm Springs 1.5166 1.6903
Hemet 1.4840 1.6707
Blythe 1.6955 1.9110
San Diego County
Chula Vista 1.5336 1.6949
Clairemont n/a n/a
Del Mar 1.5563 1.7560
Escondido 1.4632 1.6666
Oceanside 1.4920 1.6843
San Diego 1.5193 1.6857
San Bernardino County
San Bernardino 1.4862 1.6203
Redlands 1.4869 1.6208
Victorville 1.4980 1.7030
Santa Barbara County
Lompoc 1.6657 n/a
Santa Barbara 1.6774 1.7880
Santa Maria 1.6508 1.8276
San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo 1.5919 1.7623
Tulare County
Visalia 1.6450 1.8290
Porterville 1.6640 1.7050
Inyo County
Bishop 1.7917 1.8990
Ventura County
Ventura 1.5898 1.7694
So. Cal. Average 1.5146 1.6806
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. The data is provided by Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, Auto Club members benefit by the organization's emergency road service, financial products, travel agency and trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs and legislative advocacy. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.