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Auto Club: Average Monthly Gas Prices Stop Drop, Begin Climb

Most Cities See Price Increases

(LOS ANGELES, Jan. 13, 2004) ? The average price of regular gasoline in Southern California stopped its three-month descent and climbed an average of four cents during the past month, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California?s monthly Fuel Gauge Report. Higher crude oil prices and reduced production at California refineries that are performing annual maintenance have helped to push prices up.

The Southern California average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $1.737, up from $1.699 on Dec. 16, 2003. The lowest average price in Southern California is La Habra, where drivers can pump regular self-serve unleaded gasoline for an average $1.619, and the highest price is in Blythe, where regular goes for an average $1.945. San Francisco Bay–area motorists now pay an average of $1.71, up from $1.66 in December. Nationally, prices are up nearly nine cents since the November AAA survey and now average $1.56 per gallon.

"Crude oil prices have been increasing for the past two months, so we?re not surprised that pump prices have gone up," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Also, some California refineries have started their winter turnaround and maintenance schedules, so production is slightly lower compared to the prior month. However, we don?t know if this is the beginning of the regular spring season price increase or a brief upturn."

In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:

County And City 1/13 Unl 12/16 Unl 1/13 Pre 12/16 Pre
Imperial County        
El Centro   1.790 1.793 2.006 2.019
           
Inyo County        
Bishop   1.806 1.804 2.009 2.030
           
Kern County        
Bakersfield 1.678 1.644 1.812 1.869
Ridgecrest 1.702 1.782 1.822 2.007
           
Los Angeles County        
Alhambra 1.775 1.620 1.799 1.879
Arcadia   1.710 1.670 1.999 1.879
Burbank   1.680 1.626 1.979 1.859
Culver City   1.781 1.709 2.099 1.959
Glendale   1.699 1.661 1.839 1.839
Glendora   1.639 1.578 1.859 1.747
Inglewood   1.751 1.690 1.911 1.879
Lancaster   1.693 1.672 1.939 1.861
Long Beach 1.703 1.677 1.876 1.849
Los Angeles 1.722 1.680 1.942 1.894
Manhattan Beach 1.841 1.793 1.961 2.009
Montebello 1.707 1.686 1.929 1.902
Santa Clarita 1.719 1.679 1.964 1.859
Santa Monica 1.786 1.723 2.059 2.059
Van Nuys   1.681 1.641 1.842 1.849
Whittier   1.690 1.661 1.866 1.874
Woodland Hills 1.721 1.658 1.909 1.869
           
Orange County        
Anaheim   1.629 1.576 1.847 1.768
Fullerton   1.679 1.611 1.809 1.792
Huntington Beach 1.668 1.620 1.859 1.772
La Habra   1.619 1.574 1.739 1.839
Laguna Beach 1.694 1.746 1.814 2.011
Newport Beach 1.771 1.723 1.992 1.959
San Clemente 1.796 1.749 1.992 2.059
Tustin   1.726 1.680 1.935 1.884
           
Riverside County        
Blythe   1.945 1.898 2.059 2.102
Hemet   1.666 1.630 1.896 1.834
Palm Springs 1.853 1.784 2.004 1.988
Riverside   1.692 1.635 1.851 1.881
           
San Bernardino County      
Redlands 1.859 1.839 1.783 1.999
San Bernardino 1.747 1.679 1.885 1.856
Victorville   1.670 1.636 1.859 1.813
           
San Diego County        
Chula Vista 1.776 1.722 2.019 1.979
Del Mar   1.762 1.722 1.879 1.839
Escondido 1.669 1.635 1.887 1.866
Oceanside 1.777 1.727 2.019 1.959
San Diego   1.743 1.702 1.951 1.928
           
San Luis Obispo County      
San Luis Obispo 1.797 1.730 1.917 1.955
           
Santa Barbara County      
Lompoc   1.806 1.796 1.926 1.992
Santa Barbara 1.842 1.803 1.962 1.999
Santa Maria 1.779 1.749 1.899 1.799
           
Tulare County        
Porterville 1.719 1.799 1.842 2.011
Visalia   1.687 1.677 1.850 1.889
           
Ventura County        
Ventura   1.728 1.654 1.922 1.855
           
So Calif. Avg. 1.737 1.699 1.913 1.909

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.

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CST 1016202-80 Copyright © Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the following California counties: Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.