Drivers are getting an early Christmas present at the pumps.
The price of gasoline continues to drop in California and the East Bay as well.
The California State Automobile Association reports the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded in the state is now $3.62. That's down 23 cents from a month ago.
In Northern California, the average price is $3.56 a gallon, down 26 cents. In the Bay Area, it's $3.71, down 27 cents from a month ago.
In the East Bay, the average price is listed at $3.57, down 29 cents from a month ago. In Concord, the average price is $3.51 a gallon, down 26 cents.
Concord gas stations are also listed as the lowest priced in the East Bay on the website gasbuddy.com
The Arco station on Willow Pass Road and the Bonfare Market, also on Willow Pass Road, are both listed as selling regular unleaded for $3.19 a gallon.
The Bonfare Market on Grant Street is listed as selling gas for $3.24 a gallon. The Costco station is listed at $3.25.
Three stations in Pleasant Hill are listed as selling gas for $3.29 a gallon. They are the Rotten Robbie on Contra Costa Boulevard, USA Gasoline on Oak Park Boulevard and the Safeway station in the Sunvalley mall parking lot.
The Arco at Monument and Detroit in Concord is also selling gas for $3.29 as is the Super Food & Liquor on Willow Pass Road.
Gasbuddy lists the lowest price in Lafayette as the Transam station at Mount Diablo Boulevard and Brown Avenue, $3.49 a gallon.
CSAA officials said slowing demand and increased production are the main reasons for the continued decline.
“Prices at the pump have steadily declined across the country as demand continues to be low and supplies remain robust,” reports Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “The exception is the East Coast where supplies are increasing but remain somewhat tight following the disruption in distribution from Hurricane Sandy.”
CSAA officials say they expect demand to remain low in 2013, keeping gas prices at a more affordable level.
It's still find it maddening that prices in the bay area - within SIGHT of the refineries - are higher than many places hundreds of miles from the nearest refinery. What are we doing - subsidizing fuel transportation? I could understand higher prices in the boondocks, but within sight of refineries. Somebody sure has the wool pulled over the eyes of many. Naturally government won't come to the rescue - especially those entities that take a percentage of the sales price in some form of taxes (i.e. the state and some really REALLY LAME cities - such as Concord). I call it a conflict of interest - government calls it something else (the oldest and second oldest professions).
If, as a Californian, you want lower the price of gas, the best thing we can do is to allow national blends to be sold here instead of our unique and seasonal California blends. What/who would "rescue" us from these prices? How should they do it? Recall that many people think low gas prices are BAD inasmuch as they increase demand for gas and remove the incentive to develop and drive higher efficiency cars. I am amazed at the cheapness of gas and the efficiency of the supply chain. For about the price of a gallon of milk, they can drill a hole miles into the earth in the harsh north sea, pump the crude into a tanker, sail 5,000 miles to a port, pump it to a refinery costing hundreds of millions of dollars, crack it into gasoline, truck it to the corner gas station and sell it to me for a profit. And for that, I get to travel 30-40 miles in air conditioned comfort. I would happily pay $10/gallon. That is pretty amazing, no?