Gas prices in Los Angeles County haven’t been this high since October 2012. Due to the pandemic, there has been a higher demand for gasoline because of the uptick in air and car travel. According to the AAA, this demand has led to increases in crude oil prices, and thus gas prices.
Freshman political science major Clarissa Rosales commutes half an hour to and from campus daily from Alhambra, Los Angeles. She says she has never seen gas prices this high.
“Prices are extremely high, and it’s just super noticeable, especially in Downtown,” Rosales said. “They’re crazy. It’s almost like five dollars.”
The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.54 in California, which is about $1.16 higher than the national average, according to data from AAA. The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Los Angeles County is now $4.58 a gallon – 5.4% higher than the national average
“[It’s a] burden on my family or the burden of my dad, especially just because he’s the one paying for it,” Rosales said.
According to data from AAA, California has one of the most expensive gas prices in the nation.
Doug Shupe, corporate communications manager at AAA of Southern California, said the increase of vaccinations and more people traveling are some of the factors that cause the uptick in gas prices.
“The road trips and the demand for travel obviously put upward pressure on the prices. And that’s what we’re seeing. That’s what we’ve been seeing all summer and we’re continuing to see in the fall,” Shupe said.
Shupe said there are a few things students can do to maximize their fuel efficiency, including replacing dirty filters, lightening the load of their vehicle, parking in the shade, and shopping around for the cheapest prices.
“Keep the vehicle that you drive well-maintained, according to vehicle manufacturer recommendations,” he said.
Moving into November, there is a slight hope that prices will begin to decrease.
“All the gas stations must start selling the winter blend fuel, which is cheaper or less expensive than the summer blend fuel,” Shupe said.