LA Auto Club: Southern California Gas Prices Drop; Local Prices Counter National Price Increase
LOS ANGELES--Oct. 15, 2002--The October monthly average price of gasoline in Southern California dropped more than 5 cents, compared with September, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge Report.The Southern California average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $1.570, down from the September average of $1.623. The state average has dropped even further to $1.521, down 10 cents from September.
San Francisco area motorists now pay an average of $1.73 down 5 cents from last month. The lowest average price in the state still can be found in Marysville, where regular self-serve unleaded gasoline can be pumped for $1.38. The most expensive gasoline in the state is in Eureka, where the price is $1.86.
Nationally, the average price for a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline climbed 4 cents to $1.448. Georgia has the lowest state average at $1.317, up 6.4 cents.
"California has a distinctly separate fuel market compared to most of the nation," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "While gas prices elsewhere climb due to hurricane damage at southeastern refineries, we've remained unaffected. Crude oil prices at $30 per barrel also have had little effect on local retail prices to date.
"While many refiners continue to reduce inventories, there is still enough supply to prevent the latest political and military news from having an impact on consumers at the pump."
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
Imperial County Reg. Pre. El Centro 1.692 1.909 Inyo County Bishop 1.779 1.917 Kern County Bakersfield 1.503 1.716 Ridgecrest 1.644 1.824 Los Angeles County Alhambra 1.519 1.712 Arcadia 1.566 1.776 Burbank 1.531 1.772 Culver City 1.649 1.899 Glendale 1.530 1.704 Glendora 1.559 1.759 Inglewood 1.547 1.746 Lancaster 1.461 1.652 Long Beach 1.576 1.722 Los Angeles 1.557 1.749 Manhattan Beach 1.512 1.749 Montebello 1.539 1.779 Santa Clarita 1.519 1.719 Santa Monica 1.630 1.699 Van Nuys 1.474 1.676 Whittier 1.540 1.745 Woodland Hills 1.525 1.754 Orange County Anaheim 1.517 1.746 Fullerton 1.535 1.726 Huntington Beach 1.557 1.745 La Habra 1.501 1.699 Laguna Beach 1.619 1.799 Newport Beach 1.649 1.852 San Clemente 1.627 1.816 Riverside County Blythe 1.739 1.869 Hemet 1.541 1.699 Palm Springs 1.599 1.729 Riverside 1.517 1.669 San Bernardino County Redlands 1.540 1.734 San Bernardino 1.536 1.736 Victorville 1.521 1.692 San Diego County Chula Vista 1.642 1.869 Del Mar 1.602 1.799 Escondido 1.572 1.751 Oceanside 1.626 1.786 San Diego 1.611 1.819 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 1.539 1.689 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 1.650 1.879 Santa Barbara 1.675 1.874 Santa Maria 1.554 1.728 Tulare County Porterville 1.463 1.679 Visalia 1.411 1.636 Ventura County Ventura 1.583 1.789 So. Calif. Avg. 1.570 1.761
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.
Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.
