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Gas Prices Creep Down

Drop 27 cents in last month

By Joe Benton
ConsumerAffairs.com

August 8, 2008

Retail gasoline prices continued a 22 day decline while dropping more than 27 cents in the last month, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report. The national average price for a gallon of regular gas is $3.836, still more than a dollar higher than the same time one year ago.

One month ago regular gasoline sold for $4.108 a gallon and one year ago a gallon cost $2.814.

Diesel is dropping along with gasoline. A gallon now costs $4.590, 25 cents less than the record price of $4.845 set July 17.

The price of regular gasoline remains above $4 a gallon in 10 states.

In Alaska, the state with the highest prices, drivers pay an average of $4.624 a gallon. Hawaii is second on the list at $4.466 a gallon and California is in third place with an average statewide price of $4.159.

Oklahoma remains the state with the lowest gas prices. The average price in the state is $3.601 a gallon.

Gas price roundup

Here is a look at some gasoline prices from around the country in the ConsumerAffairs.com Gas Price Roundup.

California: California gas prices have now dropped by 10 percent during the last 7 weeks and now sits at $4.159, 45 cents less than the record price of $4.61 a gallon set June 16.

"Our gas price drops over the past month have averaged more than a penny a day, but during the month before prices peaked, they were going up by over two cents a day," said Jeffrey Spring, a spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California.

"We're still a long way away from the $3 price averages that we paid this time last year. Consumers should continue to shop aggressively for the best prices and seek out those stations charging less than $4 a gallon if they are along their routes," Spring said.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.179 a gallon, which is 10 cents less than last week. In San Diego, the price is $4.132, which is 10.1 cents under last week's price.

California's highest prices are found in San Francisco at $4.339 but that is 7.1 cents less than last week. The least expensive gasoline in California is found in Modesto at $4.012 a gallon.

Texas: Gasoline prices fell another 7 cents in Texas as the average price for a gallon dropped below $3.74. That is down almost 25 cents from the record high of nearly $3.99 a gallon on July 17th.

Corpus Christi has the least expensive gasoline in Texas at $3.68 a gallon, down almost 8 cents in one week. El Paso once again has the most expensive fuel at $3.80 a gallon, but that is a drop of 6 cents since last week.

"As the price of crude oil continues to drop, drivers nationwide and in Texas are beginning to really see the benefits. This means that a motorist who purchased 15 gallons of gas at $3.99 a gallon can now expect to get 16 gallons for the same total cost," said AAA Texas Corporate Communications Manager Dan Ronan.

Florida: The average price of regular gasoline in Florida is now $3.840, almost 28 cents less than the record price set July 16.

Randy Bly, director of community relations for AAA Auto Club South, said it might be a money saver to only fill the tank halfway, since prices will likely dip lower next week.

Regular gasoline sells for an average of $3.917 in Miami, $3.828 Daytona Beach and Orlando $3.799.

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