Auto Club: Prices Increase for Third Week


LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwire - September 21, 2007) - Gas prices continued to climb upward over the past week and are now an average of 20 cents above the Labor Day weekend low, 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 $2.932, which is 7.5 cents higher than last week, 11 cents above last month, and 6 cents more than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.962, which is 5.1 cents above last week's price, 9 cents up from last month, and 17 cents higher than last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.093, up 5.2 cents from last week, 5 cents above last month, and 2 cents below last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.930, 6.7 cents more than last week, 12.5 cents above last month, and 7 cents higher than last year.

"We have seen some days since Labor Day that the average price declined, but for the most part prices have continued going up, adding about a penny a day," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "California is now about 15 cents above the national average, but there are still eight states with higher average prices."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Sept. 21:

Area                      Regular   One-week change    Record Price

Los Angeles - Long Beach   $2.932     + 7.5 cents    $3.487 (5/9/2007)

Orange County              $2.910     + 8.8 cents    $3.479 (5/8/2007)

San Diego                  $2.962     + 5.1 cents    $3.503 (5/8/2007)

Santa Barbara -
 Santa Maria - Lompoc      $3.093     + 5.2 cents    $3.614 (5/15/2007)

Riverside - San Bernardino $2.930     + 6.7 cents    $3.486 (5/8/2007)

Bakersfield                $2.905     + 6.1 cents    $3.489 (5/7/2007)

Las Vegas, NV              $2.737     - 0.6 cent     $3.209 (5/29/2007)

Contact Information: Contact: Marie Montgomery Carol Thorp (714) 885-2333