Filling up with gas has become more agreeable to Hollister
residents in recent weeks as prices have significantly dropped
– more than 25 cents per gallon at some stations in recent weeks
– after months of steady increases.
That trend has stretched beyond Hollister and even California.
Prices have also decreased throughout the nation, and officials are
attributing the trend to a drop in the cost of crude oil.
Filling up with gas has become more agreeable to Hollister residents in recent weeks as prices have significantly dropped – more than 25 cents per gallon at some stations in recent weeks – after months of steady increases.
That trend has stretched beyond Hollister and even California. Prices have also decreased throughout the nation, and officials are attributing the trend to a drop in the cost of crude oil.
In Hollister, the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gas at nine stations over the weekend was $1.87 – the highest being $1.99 at the Union 76 station on San Benito Street near Second Street. Several local stations sold unleaded regular for $1.85 and Safeway at Tres Pinos Road and Airline Highway had the lowest at $1.79 on Saturday.
“They’ve (prices) been going down for two or three weeks,” said Michael Baltierra, manager at Nash Road Texaco, which sold unleaded for $1.85 Friday.
Baltierra said the highest price at the Texaco station for unleaded during recent weeks was $2.11. And the level of business varies according to those fluctuations, she said.
The state’s larger cities have experienced significant drops as well. The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular in San Jose, now $1.92, dropped 17 cents during the past four weeks. San Francisco’s average price dropped 22 cents and Los Angeles had an average drop of 23 cents, according to the American Automobile Association’s monthly report.
“Northern California motorists can take a well-earned sign of relief when gassing up their vehicles, said AAA of Northern California Spokesperson Jenny Mack.
Overall, gas prices in Northern California have decreased by 9 percent during the four-week period, and the average price for a gallon of unleaded in the Bay Area has dropped by 8 percent.
Fresno County reported the lowest prices in the state, with an average price of $1.74, which was down 28 cents.
Analysts from AAA believe prices will continue to drop, partly because California refineries are reporting strong production levels. Baltierra said she also expects the trend to continue locally.
“They’re still decreasing,” she said, “slowly, but surely.”
