Susquehanna Valley motorists can breathe a sigh of relief while gas prices hold steady this week at $3.628.
Today's national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.637. This price is two cents less expensive than one week ago, 12 cents less than one month ago and 29 cents less than one year ago. An increase in refinery production and lower oil prices in early March have combined to provide rare falling prices for motorists in comparison to recent years.
Prices have fallen for drivers in the vast majority of the country. Forty-two states have a lower average price today than one week ago, led by declines of more than a dime in three states: Indiana (15 cents), Ohio (14 cents) and Michigan (12 cents).
Motorists in Wyoming and Montana still pay the least in the nation for a gallon of gasoline at $3.33 and $3.36 respectively. Drivers in only two states pay an average of more than $4 - Hawaii ($4.38) and California ($4.04) - which is the lowest since Feb. 19.
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) settled 16 cents lower at $97.07 per barrel Monday at the close of formal trading on the NYMEX.
(AAA East Central, part of the AAA family, serves members in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, New York and Kentucky. Fuel Gauge is published each week in The News-Item.)