More Gas Price Increases Mean Drivers Should Shop Around

Local gas prices continued to rise above $4 a gallon for the week even though Los Angeles wholesale fuel prices are now 14 cents lower than their 2014 high point for the year reached on Feb. 26, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The state average is $3.970 a gallon for regular today, 2.9 cents more than last week.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.045 per gallon, which is 2.4 cents more than last week, 23.5 cents higher than last month, and 12.5 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.007, which is 2.5 cents above last week, 19 cents higher than last month, and 12 cents lower than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.053, up 3.8 cents from last week, 24 cents higher than a month ago, and 16 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $4.001, up 2.3 cents from last week, 20 cents more than last month, and 13 cents less than last year.

“We are strongly urging consumers to aggressively shop around for the best gas prices because based on wholesale costs, pump prices should actually be dropping right now,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring. “In most areas of Southern California, drivers should still easily be able to find gas stations charging less than $4 a gallon. If more drivers are price-sensitive and patronize lower-priced stations, they can have an impact by spurring competition, provided that our local supplies are adequate.”

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on March 20, averages are: