The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County rose Sunday for the fourth consecutive day, increasing two-tenths of a cent to $4.772.
The average price has increased 2 cents over the past four days, including four-tenths of a cent Saturday, after back-to-back increases totaling nine-tenths of a cent, according to figures from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.
The average price is 1.1 cents more than one week ago but 7.5 cents less than one month ago and $1.213 lower than one year ago. It has dropped $1.601 since rising to a record $6.373 on Oct. 5.
“It’s typical to see gas prices move higher as we approach big holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day,” Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager, told City News Service.
“After three years of the pandemic, the Auto Club anticipates 2.8 million will take road trips Thursday to Monday, but not everyone travels only during that five-day period. Some people hit the roads early and make a longer vacation out of the Memorial Day holiday and that increased demand for gasoline puts upward pressure on prices.”
The national average price dropped one-tenth of a cent for the second consecutive day to $3.539 after three consecutive increases totaling 1 cent. It is a half-cent more than one week ago but 14.3 cents less than one month ago and $1.054 lower than one year ago.
The national average price has dropped $1.477 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14.