Gas prices have fallen 12 cents per gallon in the last week in Western Pennsylvania to $4.317, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.
In the state, prices have fallen 9.2 cents to an average of $4.28 per gallon on Monday, according to GasBuddy. Prices in Pennsylvania are 41.6 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand $1.00 a gallon higher than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has declined 14.8 cents in the last week and stands at $5.27 per gallon.
In Bradford, the average price of a gallon of unleaded fuel is $4.40; in Brookville, $4.168; in DuBois, $4.295; in Erie, $4.260; and in Warren, $4.394.
The national average for a gallon of regular gas fell 10 cents in the past week to $3.95, due primarily to stable oil prices and fewer drivers fueling up. Monday’s national average is 62 cents less than a month ago, but 77 cents more than a year ago.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Pennsylvania was priced at $3.69 per gallon on Sunday while the most expensive was $5.64 a gallon, a difference of $1.95 a gallon.
“For the ninth week straight, gas prices have continued to fall, but the streak is at great risk of being broken this week with wholesale gasoline prices having bounced back up some 40 cents per gallon as oil prices have rebounded,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “That means the decline in average prices could wrap up soon, with some price increases possible as early as this week, especially in areas of the Great Lakes. While the West Coast and some areas of the Rockies may see prices continue to drift lower, I do believe the national average could tick higher this week as the better than expected jobs report last week likely means less demand destruction than anticipated.”
AAA has found that drivers are making significant changes to cope with high pump prices. In a recent survey, almost two-thirds of U.S. adults have changed their driving habits or lifestyle since March. Drivers’ top two changes to offset high gas prices are driving less and combining errands. While gas demand rose from 8.54 million barrels per day to 9.12 million barrels per day last week, the rate is 307,000 barrels per day lower than last year. Also, total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 5 million barrels to 220.3 million barrels.
