Auto Club: Gas Prices Begin Creeping Downward

Southern California gas prices are trending downward again after their 60-cent spike, but prices are dropping much more slowly than the increases, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The retail statewide average is $4.17 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is one cent lower than last week.
 
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.22 per gallon, which is down three cents from than last week, 53 cents higher than a month ago, and 35 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.15, which is four cents less than last Thursday, 49 cents higher than last month, and 31 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.21, which is three cents lower than last week, 49 cents higher than last month, and 32 cents higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.15, which is two cents lower than last week, 55 cents higher than last month, and 35 cents higher than last year. In San Bernardino, the $4.15 average price is three cents lower than last week, 51 cents higher than last month, and 33 cents higher than a year ago today.

An earthquake on Monday in the Bay Area briefly disrupted refinery operations, but that did not appear to affect California wholesale gasoline prices, which are continuing to drop.

"When pump prices are coming down this slowly after a spike, it really benefits consumers to aggressively shop around for the lowest gas price near them using an app such as the free AAA Mobile app,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “Price drops will increase when competition forces stations to lower their prices.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 17, averages are: