Media Contact: Matt Skryja

Walnut Creek, CA, November 8, 2011

The price at the pump has jumped in almost every metro area across Northern California, according to the latest report from AAA Northern California, which tracks gas prices as a service to consumers. According to AAA, all but eight Northern California metro areas tracked by the organization saw increases over the past month.

The price at the pump has jumped in almost every metro area across Northern California, according to the latest report from AAA Northern California, which tracks gas prices as a service to consumers. According to AAA, all but eight Northern California metro areas tracked by the organization saw increases over the past month.

The Golden State’s average for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline is $3.84, up three cents since last month’s AAA report on October 11. For perspective, that’s 70 cents higher than California’s average price on this date last year. Among all 50 states, California has the third highest state average price for regular, unleaded gasoline. Hawaii is first and Alaska is second.

Northern California gas prices are now averaging $3.82, up two cents from last month. In the San Francisco Bay Area, motorists can expect to pay an average price of $3.91, which is a 1-cent increase. The national average price of $3.41 is up by one cent, which is 56 cents more than the national price on this date last year, when it was $2.85.

“AAA understands that heading into the holiday season with higher gas prices is rough on consumers,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “We encourage motorists to take the extra time to shop around for the best price. You can even sign up for gas price text alerts by visiting www.aaa.com/gas.”

Recently, uncertainty about the Euro zone debt crisis has been the biggest driving force behind where crude oil prices have been going. Greece and Italy have drawn a great deal of that focus, given their financial troubles. Efforts to address the Euro zone’s looming financial issues have displayed a high level of volatility. That same volatility has been mirrored by commodities and equities markets. Crude prices increased for much of October, from $75.67 per barrel on October 4 to $93.19 by the end of the month. Meanwhile, the national average price for gasoline has remained relatively flat. Figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show that demand for gasoline has also remained relatively steady over the past three weeks, helping to keep that price from jumping too high.

The least expensive average price in Northern California can be found in Marysville where regular is $3.72. Of all the metro areas in Northern California where gas prices are tracked by AAA, South Lake Tahoe has an average price of $3.99, the highest in Northern California. This is also the highest price in the lower 48 states. The least expensive gasoline in the country is found in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The average price of gas in that metro area is $3.07. Wailuku, Hawaii, holds the dubious crown for the highest average price in the nation, at $4.43 per gallon.

AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report is the most comprehensive retail gasoline survey available, with over 100,000 self-serve stations surveyed everyday, nationwide. Data is provided in cooperation with OPIS Energy Group and Wright Express, LLC.

AAA Northern California offers a wide array of automotive, travel, insurance, DMV, financial services and consumer discounts to nearly 4 million members. AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers since it was founded more than 100 years ago.