Drivers across the U.S. (not California) are seeing a welcome surprise at gas stations this summer, as national average prices have dropped to levels not seen in four years. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.17, a notable decline from the $3.54 average seen at this time last year. The dip in prices is being driven by a combination of steady fuel production and relatively low crude oil costs. U.S. gasoline inventories have risen, and domestic refinery output has remained strong, helping to meet the typical surge in summer demand without triggering a price spike. Meanwhile, oil prices have remained stable, with West Texas Intermediate crude trading around $82 per barrel—lower than some analysts expected for this point in the travel season. Despite increased travel over the Fourth of July holiday and the usual uptick in road trips during the summer months, supply has kept pace with demand. This balance is preventing the kind of sharp price increases that have frustrated drivers in recent years. AAA also noted that while gas prices may fluctuate slightly in the coming weeks, the current trends suggest continued affordability at the pump for most regions.
Not all drivers are experiencing the same level of relief. States like California and Hawaii continue to see prices well above the national average, with California leading the nation at $4.86 per gallon. However, many states in the South and Midwest are seeing prices below $3.00, helping to bring the overall average down.
We will never be in the bottom on gas prices, Cali will always be at the top of price tier due to our special blend of gas we have to use.
We don’t HAVE to use it. It’s forced on us by elected (and unelected) officials.
Special Blend means loaded with ethanol guaranteed to eat anything made out of rubber. Anyone with any experience running engines on alcohol knows all rubber fuel lines must be replaced with PTFE. But hey, they still sell fire extinguishers………
Most cars made after 2001 are designed to handle 15% ethanol. On older cars, adding
an ethanol stabilizer to a full tank of gas will help protect rubber and plastic components.
I use STA-BIL 360 with every fill up. One 32 oz bottle treats 160 gallons of gas.
50% Sunoco in the old cars……..
Nothing is going to help with California gas prices as long as the neo-Marxist Gavin Newsom is governor. Voters had a chance to recall them but there was really no appealing candidate to run against him. Then, as I have pointed out, when you get educated newcomers for tech jobs in the state they probably just look around and vote for the incumbents including governor because it is going to take a few years to understand the local issues. And by then they have left because they were laid off.
.
The “pie in the sky” ecological goals are a bit crazy. And what about all the waste on the high speed train to nowhere? I could guess the average IQ in Sacramento must be 80.
The High Speed Rail project is not about saving the environment. It is nothing more than a union job program wrapped in ecological wording. Gotta give back to the donors!
High Speed Money Laundering.
That recall was a huge waste of tax payer $$ put on by vengeful Republicans. Don’t pretend that was a good use of tax payer $$
The cost for the recall was $276 million. Gavin is still here, so yeah, a huge waste. But let’s compare that to another HUGE waste- the High Speed Rail project.
Originally sold to gullible voters as a cheap and clean alternative to driving or flying between So Cal and the Bay Area. Initial estimates were a $25 billion cost and LA to SF service to commence in 2025. We were told that travel costs would rival SW Airlines’ fares and that no government subsidies would be necessary.
Recent cost estimates are now over $100 billion and service start is estimated sometime between 2030 and 2033. By the way, this is just for the Merced to Bakersfield line now, not the full LA to SF! Also, expected ridership is now 25% below the initial estimates.
So to sum it all up:
We are getting soaked by over $75 billion beyond initial cost estimates (that only an idiot actually believed), we are at least 5 years late in completion (again only an idiot believed this), ONLY for Merced to Bakersfield (maybe take an Uber from SF to Merced, or LA to Bakersfield?). They have spent close to $20 billion already with nothing to show for it. Subsidies will be needed because few will ride. AND THERE IS NOW NO TIME FRAME TO COMPLETE THE ORIGINAL VISION OF LA TO SF!!!
So Jacob, if you really want to complain about wasted $, then look no further than that greasy guy that you voted for on multiple occasions. Better to be a vengeful Republican than a stupid sheep.
And I almost forgot about the $6 billion spent just last year on Medical for illegal aliens.
Thanks Newscum, the one who will NEVER be POTUS.
He will when CA secedes
Apparently Newsom is working on a secession agreement with Cuba.
His vision is for electric ships ferrying people back and forth between wastelands.
One big happy family.
Go ahead and fire on Fort Sumter and let us know how that works out for you.
Think of it as your reward for electing democrats . . . . . . .
Our REPUBLICAN president is the one withholding billions of dollars of CA retail payer money but you blame dems
The Dems have had a long, consistent dominance on California’s policies for several decades. The Democrat voters of California will complain about high costs, and demand higher wages. They will continue to vote Democrat believing things will change, and when things don’t change, and for the most part, may get worse, they blame Trump. It boggles my mind how seemingly intelligent people can be so naive and ignorant,
To all the Democrats/Liberals and individuals who voted for this 🐍, Governor Newscum, you owe me and the rest of us common sense Californians gas money.
You voted him in twice as Governor, and voted to NOT recall him even though he is the reason why we have a 66 cent gas tax increase, on top of having refineries shut down and us not buying gas from other states.
CA is the ONLY state in the country where the gas prices keep going up, we have the highest gas prices in the country, and most people can’t afford to sell their gas cars for a hybrid or don’t want one.
Thanks a lot.
paid $3 per gallon in Quartzsite AZ, and 4 hours later paid $4.20 per gallon at Grapevine (Laval Rd stations). Amazing how poorly the voters have chosen such miserable leaders to manage (more like trash) this rapidly declining state. Didn’t we just add additional taxes to our gas? I do not recall voting on this.
Remember you get what you vote for (and so does the rest of us) so quit voting the same old people in to office.
Be a retired person it’s getting harder and harder to make ends meet.
I have lived in the bay area all my life (77 years) and have never seen the state this bad.
LETS TRY SOMETHING (or someone)
NEW IN SACRAMENTO AND DC.
All the free stuff people are told to vote for ALL tax increases because they are told the money is for them,and they believe anything.
CA democrat politicians and their unelected minions are trying to out green
the world, forcing CA oil wells to shutdown. An they’re so friendly to refiners
two or three, may end up closing.
.
Chart from state shows where refiners get crude they refine.
https://tinyurl.com/233yu3dd
https://tinyurl.com/yc22hvpy
.
Keep voting for democrats if you want it to get worse ! ! ! ! ! $8.00 + a gallon
.
Keep believing lies of, refiner’ price gouging.
.
Bringing crude in by ship is expensive.
Moving a barrel of oil by rail tank car into California adds
$14 per barrel in additional cost.
Oh like the Billions in CA $$ being with held by our vengeful president?? Those funds could help CA with relief but yall don’t wanna talk about that because he’s a republican and you love authority.
California elected officials have profoundly demonstrated, for years on end, that they have zero ability to manage money responsibly.
As a virtually bankrupt state, all federal funds earmarked for California should pass through a court appointed trustee. Otherwise it’s like giving a drunk keys to the liquor store.
You are cute Jacob
First, you say Billions are being withheld from California – that is a lie. President Trump is withholding Billions when you combine several states funds. President Trump is witholding hundreds of millions from California wy … cause Pig Newscum is allowing boys to particpate in girls sports. cause Pig Newscum is supporting criminals in this state by providing them money to hide from the Federal government.
Yet you blame Republicans, when Democrats are the ones that have been running this state for what … 40 years? Democrats are the ones killing our economy by askign citizens to pay for people who have broken into the country. We are asked to pay for those who are unwilling to work. We offer money, drugs, phones, housing to those folks who do not want to be members of society. Why am I working to make 200K+ a year to give a large portion of that the government so that they can give it away for free.
If President Trump gave the money to California, Pig Newscum and his cult followers will still find something to complain about. How do I know that, well the education failures started decades ago in California yet, all you do is blame President Trump. The Federal government has given BILLIONS (this is the right time for that amount) to states for education, and where is California is the educatoin list of states … yeah pretty low!
But Jacob, you keep blaming President Trump, cause you will not learn and nothing we say can change your mind.
CA would not need federal money if CA leadership spent their tax revenue as if it was there money. Fiscal responsibility will never happen as long as fools keep on voting for poor financial stewards.
CA spends big $ on medical care for illegals. Nothing to show for it except a big red hole in the budget. We’ve spent $20 B on a train to nowhere that will never get finished and will never be self sustaining.
How much federal relief would CA need if all that money was spent prudently? We’lll never know because the blind lemmings who refuse to acknowledge the coming cliff will continue to vote “D”.
Um, I’m noticing something different. Gas this morning was $4.19 at Arco, that’s a 06 decrease from last week. National average is $3.15 today, a .01 decrease from last week.
The last time the national average was $3.15 was on 5/13/25, and gas here was $4.99. We’re on the summer blend which usually costs .10 to .15 more (although production I believe costs .01 to .03 more), yet we’re .80 cheaper than May.
I’ve been tracking costs since last year, and the national average since this year. California, without a doubt, always pays the highest prices in the nation. What I’m seeing lately is odd. 61.2 cents of the price is taxes for our area, which increased recently. Prior to then it was .59 in taxes. We’re currently 1.04 above the national average. Back in May we were 1.66 above the national average.
I filled up my wife’s car with 15 gallons of regular at the Safeway station on Contra Costa Blvd yesterday. Used our Safeway member number and got it all for $2.99 per gallon!!
… and let’s not forget Newscum’s campaign promise to bring price parity to CA as the rest of the country … another broken promise as his other – killing high speed rail to no where to save taxpayer $$ – did he do either? nooooooo but he still beat the recall and got a second nimination … I’ll never understand it