Auto Club: Two Weeks in a Row for Gas Price Declines


LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - July 3, 2008) - Drivers are getting some slight relief as they fill their tanks for the holiday weekend, as gas prices dropped for the second week in a row, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.597 per gallon, which is two cents less than last week, 37 cents higher than last month, and $1.47 above last year. In San Diego, the price is $4.576, which is 2.7 cents lower than last week's price, 30 cents above last month, and $1.45 higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.666, down 2.2 cents from last week, 32 cents above last month, and $1.31 more than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average per gallon price is $4.571, 2.8 cents under last week, up 33 cents from last month, and $1.47 higher than last year.

"Holiday travelers will find very similar gas prices across the state, even in regions like Santa Barbara and San Francisco that are typically much more expensive for gasoline than other California cities," said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. "Nationally, gas prices are moving up again in many other states after taking a breather last week and 36 states now have averages above $4 a gallon. But California prices are still declining for now."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 9:15 a.m., July 3:

                                              One-week
Area                             Regular       change       Record Price
Los Angeles - Long Beach        $  4.597    - 2.0 cents   $ 4.626 (6/21/08)

Orange County                   $  4.559    - 2.3 cents   $ 4.598 (6/19/08)

San Diego                       $  4.576    - 2.7 cents   $ 4.630 (6/19/08)

Santa Barbara - Santa Maria -
 Lompoc                         $  4.666    - 2.2 cents   $ 4.709 (6/21/08)

Riverside - San  Bernardino     $  4.571    - 2.8 cents   $ 4.614 (6/22/08)

Bakersfield                     $  4.573    - 0.8 cents   $ 4.591 (6/24/08)

Las Vegas, NV                   $  4.261    - 1.2 cents   $ 4.279 (6/21/08)

EDITORS NOTE: This release is being sent early because of the July 4 holiday.

Contact Information: Contact: Elaine Beno/Marie Montgomery (714) 885-2333