Labor Day travelers in Southern California will pay far less to fill up than for both the Independence Day and Memorial Day holidays this year, although it will still be the highest gas prices on record for this holiday, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $5.25, which is five cents lower than last week. The average national price is $3.83, which is also five cents lower than a week ago.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $5.25 per gallon, which is six cents lower than last week, 39 cents lower than last month, and 85 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $5.22, which is five cents lower than last week, 35 cents lower than last month, and 87 cents higher than last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $5.40, which is six cents lower than last week, 30 cents lower than last month and $1.05 higher than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $5.14, which is five cents lower than last week, 39 cents lower than last month and 82 cents higher than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $5.34 average price is five cents lower than last Thursday, 50 cents lower than last month and 99 cents higher than a year ago today.
“An Auto Club survey in August indicated that about 32% of Americans plan a Labor Day vacation this year, with 12% traveling 50 miles or more away from home. Also, 82% of those taking trips this weekend will drive to their destinations,” said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. “It appears the demand to travel will also continue even after Labor Day, because the same survey found 73% of U.S. residents says they will take at least one leisure trip during the autumn months.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Sept. 1, averages are:
