Up Tick in Pump Prices Possible as Holiday Weekend Nears  

Phoenix, Ariz., July 2, 2008 – Across the state and country, motorists might be preparing to celebrate their freedom this Independence Day, but one thing they will not be free from is the unrelenting price of gasoline. Statewide, drivers are currently paying $4.087 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, an increase of just over a penny from last week. Tucson drivers continue to hold on to the state’s lowest fuel price at $3.824 per gallon, while Flagstaff drivers are paying the most to fill their tanks at $4.218 per gallon. Nationwide, the current average is $4.092 per gallon, which is an increase of over two cents from last week.  

Arizona motorists are currently paying $1.131 more per gallon for fuel than they were last Fourth of July weekend and more than double what they were paying just five years ago. To illustrate this trend, below is a list of statewide fuel averages just prior to the Fourth of July weekend for the past five years:

2003:                   $1.650 per gallon
2004:                   $1.997 per gallon
2005:                   $2.297 per gallon
2006:                   $2.893 per gallon
2007:                   $2.956 per gallon
2008:                   $4.087 per gallon

“While we are predicting fewer holiday travelers will take to the roads this year, a significant portion of the population is still planning to travel, despite the fact that gasoline is at or above $4 per gallon in 37 states, including the District of Columbia,” said AAA Arizona Public Affairs Manager Linda Gorman. “As the holiday weekend approaches, it is likely that the plateau we experienced last week will come to an end and pump prices will move higher as a result of holiday traffic and current crude prices.”

The cheapest gasoline in the continental United States is in Oklahoma, where unleaded regular is $3.878 per gallon. California drivers are paying the most for fuel in the country at $4.578 per gallon.

Motorists can visit www.AAAAZ.com/news/fuelnews.htm for fuel price information and gas saving tips or go to www.AAA.com/fuelfinder to locate the station with the cheapest gas in their neighborhood. They can also visit AAA’s Fuel Cost Calculator at www.fuelcostcalculator.com, which can help drivers plan out their fuel costs so they can budget their travel expenses in advance.

From now through September 30, drivers can also go to www.aaa.com/sweepstakes, visit a local AAA office or call 1.866.298.1232 to request a new insurance quote from AAA to receive a $10 gas card from AAA Insurance and be entered into the grand prize drawing of $20,000 in free gas. Those requesting a quote will also be entered into a monthly drawing to win $1,000 in free gas.

*Indicates record price.

 **The BTU-adjusted price of E-85 is the nationwide average price of E-85 adjusted to reflect the lower energy content as expressed in British Thermal Units - and hence miles per gallon - available in a gallon of E-85 as compared to the same volume of conventional gasoline. The BTU-adjusted price calculated by OPIS and AAA is not an actual retail average price paid by consumers. It is calculated and displayed as part of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report because according to the Energy Information Administration E-85 delivers approximately 25 percent fewer BTUs by volume than conventional gasoline. Because "flexible fuel" vehicles can operate on conventional fuel and E-85, the BTU-adjusted price of E-85 is essential to understanding the cost implications of each fuel choice for consumers.

AAA Arizona’s Weekly Fuel Gauge includes data from gasoline stations in every Arizona community. However, only major metropolitan areas are shown in the table above.  Local prices in some communities might be higher or lower than the averages shown here.

NOTE: AAA Fuel Gauge data may be used on a daily basis by news media Web sites, but should include attribution to AAA.