Latest news with #DougShupe
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Auto Club: SoCal gas prices dip ahead of Memorial Day weekend
Southern California drivers are seeing some relief at the pump just in time for Memorial Day weekend, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's latest Weekend Gas Watch. The latest report, published on Thursday, shows that gas prices dipped despite earlier reports that Californians wouldn't see relief at the pump during the holiday weekend. 'Southern Californians will be paying the lowest pump prices since 2021 to fill up for their Memorial Day getaways, which they will be taking in record numbers,' Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe said in a statement. 'Gas prices are backing off from a price spike earlier this month caused by a Northern California refinery fire and some unplanned refinery outages. According to Oil Price Information Service, those supply issues have been resolved, and refineries have increased their gasoline production.' Southern California AAA shares the best times to travel ahead of Memorial Day weekend In the Los Angeles-Long Beach region, prices dipped by two cents to $4.80 per gallon, while San Diego drivers are also paying $4.80, down three cents from last week. The Central Coast saw the biggest weekly decline, with average prices falling seven cents to $4.72 per gallon — a 45-cent drop from last year. Riverside drivers now pay an average of $4.66 per gallon, three cents less than last week and 38 cents below 2024 prices. In Bakersfield, the average is $4.73, a two-cent decrease from last week and 46 cents below last year's figure. As of Friday morning, the average price of gasoline in California stands at $4.84, while the national average is $3.19. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Southern California AAA Memorial Day weekend roadway travel advice
Travel experts say there will be record-breaking numbers on the roadways this weekend for the third consecutive year as the Memorial Day holiday marks the unofficial start of summer. Doug Shupe with AAA Southern California said that 3.6 million residents are anticipated to travel 50 miles or more this weekend, a nearly 4% increase from last year. He said the vast majority, 2.9 million, will be taking road trips beginning Thursday and continuing through Monday. The best times to leave for travel is "as early in the day as possible," Shupe said. Traffic is expected to pick up Thursday after noon, with the 5 Freeway predicted to be one of the busiest stretches from Los Angeles to Bakersfield. He said the trip usually takes 90 minutes, but on Friday afternoon it will likely take three hours. Shupe advised that vehicles be thoroughly inspected before taking to the roads, as AAA anticipates responding to 95,000 stranded roadside drivers in California. He also reminded drivers that even though gas prices are about 35 cents less per gallon than last year, gas stations away from the freeways will generally have lower prices. "Also remember, don't speed. Most vehicles will maximize fuel economy at 50 mph, and then it starts to drop after that. If you reduce your speeds by 5-10 mph, you can increase your fuel efficiency by 14 percent," Shupe said. With so many people on the road, Shupe is advising drivers to be on the lookout for roadside rescuers and stopped vehicles. "We're talking about tow-truck operators, but also police officers, firefighters, paramedics, Caltrans workers … if you can safely get out of that lane closest to the emergency vehicle, you should do that. If you can't get out of that lane, you need to slow way down," Shupe said. The California "Move Over Law" only applies to stopped emergency vehicles and trucks displaying flashing lights, but Shupe said AAA is working to expand that law to all stopped vehicles.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Gas in California is $1.65 more than the national average. See the rise in gas prices
Near-record low inventories and a refinery fire in northern California at the start of February have led to an increase in gas prices in Southern California, according to the Auto Club's Weekend Gas Watch. 'California refinery production of gasoline was already low when a major fire at the Martinez PBF refinery on Feb. 1 took it offline indefinitely, creating a surge in wholesale gasoline prices,' said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe in the news release. 'Although Southern California does not receive gasoline from the affected refinery, some supply from our area may be shifting to cover shortfalls in Northern California, which is experiencing even steeper pump price increases.' These factors have caused Southern California's average gas prices to increase by more than two cents a day over the past week in most areas, said the auto club's gas watch. But the increase in gas prices isn't just being felt in California. Arizona has also seen prices creep up partially due to the fire at Martinez Refining Company in Contra Costa County as well, the Arizona Republic reported. The average gas price in California is $4.82 on Friday at 10 a.m., according to AAA's fuel prices. That's about a 27-cent increase from a week ago and a 44-cent increase from a month ago. Last year, the average cost of gas in California was $4.63. The auto club's gas watch compiled the average gas price for select California areas. See the average price of gas throughout California as of 9 a.m. on Thursday: San Diego: $4.76, a 16-cent increase from a week ago Ventura: $4.76, a 14-cent increase from a week ago Los Angeles-Long Beach: $4.75, a 16-cent increase from a week ago Orange County: $4.73, a 18-cent increase from a week ago Santa Barbara: $4.71, a 15-cent increase from a week ago San Bernardino: $4.63, a 17-cent increase from a week ago Riverside: $4.62, a 17-cent increase from a week ago Bakersfield: $4.61, a 23-cent increase from a week ago The average cost of gas nationally is about $3.17 as of Friday at 10 a.m., according to AAA fuel prices. It's about three cents higher than a week ago and $1.65 less than California's average. GasBuddy is one option if you're looking for more affordable gas near you. According to GasBuddy, gas is less than $3.80 at various gas stations across the state, from San Jacinto in Southern California to Lemoore in central California. You can search by major areas or counties to see where users find lower gas prices. For example, one user recorded that gas was $3.89 at the Horizon Fuel Center in Valley Center in San Diego County. Paris Barraza is a trending reporter covering California news at The Desert Sun. Reach her at pbarraza@ This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: How much did gas prices go up in California? See the average cost
