Motorists in Southern California are enjoying lower fuel costs as the holiday season approaches, with average gasoline prices remaining under $4.45 per gallon.
Local Price Declines
According to GasBuddy, San Bernardino County has experienced a notable reduction in fuel expenses, with current averages at $4.14 per gallon. This represents a weekly decrease of 7.8 cents and a monthly drop of 41.3 cents compared to previous periods.
In Victorville, several stations offered gasoline for less than $3.90 per gallon on Monday, including locations on Bear Valley Road and Palmdale Road. Hesperia and Apple Valley also reported prices under $3.80 at various fueling stations.
Regional averages show Riverside County at $4.11, Los Angeles at $4.40, and Orange County at $4.30 per gallon.
National Trends
The national average for gasoline has decreased by 5.7 cents over the past week, settling at $2.79 per gallon on Sunday. This marks a substantial decline of 26.4 cents from last month and 21.4 cents from the previous year.
"For a fourth straight week, the national average price of gasoline has declined, as conditions remain ripe for some of the lowest seasonal gas prices in five years," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
De Haan added that oil prices continue to struggle amid rising U.S., Canadian, and OPEC+ oil production, while refinery output remains near some of the highest seasonal levels in years— factors that are likely to keep gas prices under pressure over the weeks ahead.
"We’re continuing to see some gas prices below $2 per gallon in the nation’s cheapest states, now at more than 125 gas stations," De Haan said, "Diesel prices have also seen some relief, though inventories remain tight, keeping the national average higher than a year ago."
Holiday Travel Projections
The Auto Club anticipates a record-breaking 10.2 million Southern Californians will journey at least 50 miles from home during the year-end holiday period. This forecast exceeds last year's 9.9 million travelers by 2.8%.
Approximately 945,000 Southern California residents are expected to travel by air, representing a 1.7% increase from the previous year. Popular driving destinations include San Diego, Las Vegas, Anaheim, and various national parks across California and Arizona.
