With wholesale gas prices now at their lowest level of the year, drivers are seeing continued relief at the pump with more drops to come if the trend continues, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch. The state average is $3.891 a gallon for regular today – 6.9 cents lower than last week.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $3.908 per gallon, which is 7.3 cents less than last week, 5 cents higher than last month, and 35 cents lower than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $3.900, which is 5.9 cents below last week, 5 cents above last month, and 34 cents lower than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.981, down 5.7 cents from last week, 8 cents higher than a month ago, and 29 cents less than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per-gallon price is $3.878, down 6.8 cents from last week, 5 cents higher than last month, and 33 cents less than last year.
“The last time wholesale prices were this low, Southern California drivers were paying on average about $3.60 a gallon, so clearly there is plenty more room for prices to drop further,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “In about three weeks, wholesale prices have plunged by more than 50 cents. Lower crude oil prices have helped drive the drop, along with apparent solid production at local refineries.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on Oct. 3, averages are:
Area |
Regular |
One-week change
|
Record Price
|
Los Angeles – Long Beach |
$3.908 |
-7.3 cents |
$4.705 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Orange County |
$3.875 |
-7.2 cents |
$4.690 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
San Diego |
$3.900 |
-5.9 cents |
$4.725 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Santa Barbara – Santa Maria – Lompoc |
$3.981 |
-5.7 cents |
$4.709 (6/21/08) |
|
|
|
|
Riverside – San Bernardino |
$3.878 |
-6.8 cents |
$4.688 (10/8/12) |
|
|
|
|
Bakersfield |
$3.915 |
-5.2 cents |
$4.648 (10/9/12) |
|
|
|
|
Ventura |
$3.887 |
-8.3 cents |
$4.689 (10/7/12) |