One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This archival content was originally written for and published on KPCC.org. Keep in mind that links and images may no longer work — and references may be outdated.
Why gas prices are falling nationwide but increasing in Southern California
At a Shell station in Culver City, CA, gas was nearly a gallon higher than the national average on December 23, 2015.
(
Ben Bergman/KPCC
)
Listen
0:53
Why gas prices are falling nationwide but increasing in Southern California
If you’re hitting the road for Christmas, you can be forgiven for feeling a bit envious towards drivers in other parts of the country. While gas prices have plummeted below two dollars a gallon in many places, in Southern California they’re going the opposite direction.
An average price of a gallon of regular unleaded on Wednesday is $2.93, according to Gasbuddy.com, which tracks prices. That’s 19 cents higher than both last week and last year.
The reason is California only has a few refineries so when there are problems, there’s not much room for error, said Allison Mac, an analyst at GasBuddy.com.
“Unfortunately, for the past couple weeks we’ve been seeing a lot of unplanned maintenance at the refineries which has really tugged on our supply, which is why prices have gone up.” said Mac.
Nationwide, gas is at its cheapest level in six years, dropping below the $2 mark over the weekend.
The American Automobile Association says U.S. drivers have saved an average of $550 this year from lower fuel costs, which means along with an improving economy that people are driving more; Americans are on pace to drive a record number of miles this year, based on early estimates by the Federal Highway Administration.
“Drivers across the country are celebrating the historic return of cheaper gas prices,” Marshall Doney, AAA’s President and CEO said in a statement. “The lowest gas prices in nearly seven years are a holiday gift that few consumers could have imagined when gasoline was $4 a gallon.”
Except not in Southern California, which has some of the highest gas prices in the nation. Mac says by this weekend, prices could reach $3 dollars a gallon.
Sponsored message
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
