LA Auto Club: Summer Driving Season Begins With Varying Prices at the Pump; Slight Increases in Some Areas; Slight Decreases in Others

    LOS ANGELES--May 31, 2002--The first week of the summer driving season saw pump prices swinging up or down slightly, depending on the area, according to the Weekend Gas Watch, compiled by the Automobile Club of Southern California.
    Average prices dipped slightly in the L.A.-Long Beach area for the seventh consecutive week. The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline at popular destinations for motoring trips.
    Currently, the average price of self-serve regular unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.569 per gallon, which is three-tenths of a cent lower than last week's price, 5 cents lower than last month's price and 46 cents lower than the price at this time last year.
    In San Diego, however, the price is $1.597, which is two-tenths of a cent higher than last week's level, 7 cents lower than last month and 42 cents lower than last year. Motorists in the central coast have an average price of $1.654, which is six-tenths of a cent below last week's price, 3 cents lower than last month's price and 35 cents lower than the price last year.
    "While prices in general did not go up over Memorial Day, there has been some slight upward movement since then," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Right now the increases are so small that prices are virtually stable. It's still too early to predict whether more substantial increases will occur during the summer vacation season."

Average prices as of 12:01 a.m., May 31:

Area                        Regular    Change from    Record Price
                                        last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach      $1.569      -0.3 cents    $2.036 (5/25/01)

San Diego                   $1.597      +0.2 cents    $2.025 (5/29/01)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
Lompoc                      $1.654      -0.6 cents    $2.069 (5/16/01)

Las Vegas                   $1.465      +0.3 cents    $1.885 (3/27/00)

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.         $1.406      +0.6 cents    $1.720 (5/30/01)