Southern California Gas Prices Fall to 20-Month Low
LOS ANGELES--Oct. 16, 2001--The average price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Southern California has fallen to a level that consumers haven't seen in 20 months, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report.The Southern California average price for regular unleaded gasoline is $1.54, down 13 cents since the September average of $1.67 and down 43 cents since June. Statewide, the average gas price dropped 13 cents to $1.60. The state average is higher due to average higher gas prices in northern California, where regular gas is averaging $1.70. Motorists in the Bay Area are paying an average of $1.79.
Nationally, the average price for regular gasoline has dropped about 20 cents to $1.35.
"The steep decline in gasoline prices is due to softer demand for petroleum products overall in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks against the United States, as well as continuing economic difficulties," said Jeffrey Spring, Auto Club spokesman.
"While it is still too early to know the full extent to which discretionary driving -- including auto vacationing -- has been affected by recent events, markedly lower fuel prices may make autumn trips more attractive to consumers."
Because crude oil prices have stabilized near $22 per gallon since Sept. 11, it is unlikely gasoline prices will move significantly lower in the short term, unless a new terror event causes consumers to stay even closer to home than they are now.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County City Unl Pre Imperial County El Centro 1.798 1.842 Inyo County Bishop 1.759 1.826 Kern County Bakersfield 1.385 1.566 Ridgecrest 1.667 1.749 Los Angeles County Alhambra 1.451 1.553 Arcadia 1.524 1.617 Burbank 1.497 1.619 Culver City 1.571 1.662 Glendale 1.478 1.699 Glendora 1.455 1.679 Inglewood 1.500 1.739 Lancaster 1.487 1.639 Long Beach 1.512 1.669 Los Angeles 1.495 1.679 Manhattan Beach 1.447 1.609 Montebello 1.524 1.621 Santa Clarita 1.425 1.649 Santa Monica 1.498 1.804 Van Nuys 1.456 1.589 Whittier 1.474 1.693 Woodland Hills 1.482 1.764 Orange County Anaheim 1.464 1.664 Fullerton 1.427 1.578 Huntington Beach 1.446 1.639 La Habra 1.374 1.589 Laguna Beach 1.524 1.859 Newport Beach 1.559 1.764 San Clemente 1.591 1.849 Riverside County Blythe 1.742 1.909 Hemet 1.509 1.599 Palm Springs 1.619 1.709 Riverside 1.480 1.605 San Bernardino County Redlands 1.505 1.603 San Bernardino 1.489 1.735 Victorville 1.447 1.595 San Diego County Chula Vista 1.666 1.844 Del Mar 1.662 1.884 Escondido 1.626 1.754 Oceanside 1.628 1.827 San Diego 1.638 1.832 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 1.591 1.749 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 1.698 1.788 Santa Barbara 1.599 1.764 Santa Maria 1.598 1.739 Tulare County Porterville 1.504 1.699 Visalia 1.370 1.539 Ventura County Ventura 1.561 1.739 So. Calif. Avg. 1.536 1.705
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs.
