(LOS ANGELES, April 13, 2004) ? The average monthly price of regular self-serve gasoline in Southern California climbed another 6 cents from March to reach an all-time April high of $2.261 per gallon, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge Report. While this is a record monthly high for the region, daily averages during the past week hit record highs of $2.233 in Los Angeles and $2.240 in San Diego.
"The relationship between strong demand for gas and the ability to meet that demand remains the key issue," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "In the past month, there have been a few small refinery problems that, in normal times, would not affect prices in a significant way. But because our inventories of gasoline are so slim, any interruption in supply has the effect of sending wholesale price higher, causing a chain reaction at the retail pump. The Auto Club is urging motorists to conserve two gallons of gasoline per week by driving an average of 44 fewer miles. This will help bring demand more in line with supply and possibly bring down prices."
The Southern California average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $2.261, up from $2.200 on March 16, 2004. The previous highest April Fuel Gauge Report price was in 2003 at $2.128.
The lowest average price in Southern California is Porterville, where drivers can pump regular self-serve gasoline for an average $2.16, and the highest price is in Blythe, where regular goes for an average $2.42. San Francisco Bay-area motorists now pay an average of $2.30, up from $2.28 in March. Nationally, prices are up 6 cents since the March AAA survey and now are at a record high average of $1.78 per gallon.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City | Unl | Pre | Unl. Mar. 16 | Pre. Mar. 16 | |
Imperial County | |||||
El Centro | 2.311 | 2.499 | 2.234 | 2.439 | |
Inyo County | |||||
Bishop | 2.309 | 2.499 | 2.199 | n/a | |
Kern County | |||||
Bakersfield | 2.194 | 2.289 | 2.127 | 2.309 | |
Ridgecrest | 2.263 | 2.358 | 2.143 | 2.325 | |
Los Angeles County | |||||
Alhambra | 2.175 | 2.299 | 2.130 | 2.344 | |
Arcadia | 2.228 | 2.499 | 2.178 | 2.399 | |
Burbank | 2.208 | 2.369 | 2.140 | 2.309 | |
Culver City | 2.317 | 2.659 | 2.277 | 2.446 | |
Glendale | 2.223 | 2.566 | 2.139 | 2.308 | |
Glendora | 2.188 | 2.382 | 2.175 | 2.424 | |
Inglewood | 2.219 | 2.439 | 2.172 | 2.339 | |
Lancaster | 2.214 | 2.557 | 2.182 | 2.351 | |
Long Beach | 2.214 | 2.382 | 2.171 | 2.350 | |
Los Angeles | 2.240 | 2.435 | 2.183 | 2.367 | |
Manhattan Beach | 2.320 | 2.519 | 2.255 | 2.429 | |
Montebello | 2.284 | 2.509 | 2.213 | 2.399 | |
Santa Clarita | 2.239 | 2.582 | 2.186 | 2.355 | |
Santa Monica | 2.324 | 2.667 | 2.235 | 2.499 | |
Van Nuys | 2.208 | 2.366 | 2.161 | 2.324 | |
Whittier | 2.214 | 2.412 | 2.183 | 2.352 | |
Woodland Hills | 2.262 | 2.422 | 2.193 | 2.439 | |
Orange County | |||||
Anaheim | 2.197 | 2.382 | 2.135 | 2.333 | |
Fullerton | 2.216 | 2.366 | 2.145 | 2.304 | |
Huntington Beach | 2.214 | 2.424 | 2.160 | 2.343 | |
La Habra | 2.162 | 2.373 | 2.115 | 2.299 | |
Laguna Beach | 2.339 | 2.549 | 2.279 | 2.463 | |
Newport Beach | 2.314 | 2.519 | 2.247 | 2.449 | |
San Clemente | 2.263 | 2.489 | 2.216 | 2.439 | |
Tustin | 2.265 | 2.489 | 2.203 | 2.393 | |
Riverside County | |||||
Blythe | 2.417 | 2.634 | 2.288 | 2.522 | |
Hemet | 2.231 | 2.434 | 2.177 | 2.349 | |
Palm Springs | 2.395 | 2.609 | 2.317 | 2.499 | |
Riverside | 2.222 | 2.389 | 2.169 | 2.269 | |
San Bernardino County | |||||
Redlands | 2.379 | 2.639 | 2.269 | 2.453 | |
San Bernardino | 2.319 | 2.579 | 2.229 | 2.413 | |
Victorville | 2.349 | 2.609 | 2.249 | 2.433 | |
San Diego County | |||||
Chula Vista | 2.274 | 2.493 | 2.254 | 2.559 | |
Del Mar | 2.292 | 2.359 | 2.289 | 2.379 | |
Escondido | 2.164 | 2.429 | 2.131 | 2.306 | |
Oceanside | 2.245 | 2.469 | 2.202 | 2.439 | |
San Diego | 2.262 | 2.451 | 2.219 | 2.419 | |
San Luis Obispo County | |||||
San Luis Obispo | 2.268 | 2.464 | 2.224 | n/a | |
Santa Barbara County | |||||
Lompoc | 2.334 | 2.500 | 2.256 | 2.538 | |
Santa Barbara | 2.318 | 2.484 | 2.277 | 2.559 | |
Santa Maria | 2.305 | 2.471 | 2.231 | 2.513 | |
Tulare County | |||||
Porterville | 2.159 | 2.325 | 2.149 | 2.431 | |
Visalia | 2.199 | 2.365 | 2.095 | 2.229 | |
Ventura County | |||||
Ventura | 2.253 | 2.442 | 2.187 | 2.359 | |
So. Calif. Avg. | 2.261 | 2.468 | 2.200 | 2.395 |
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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