Tue Nov 24, 2009 1:36am GMT
By Tom Doggett
WASHINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - As millions of Americans plan to travel by car this week for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, consumers are paying about 75 cents more for a gallon of gasoline than last year, the Energy Department said on Monday.
The national price for regular unleaded gasoline increased a penny over the past week to $2.64 a gallon, much higher than the $1.89 last Thanksgiving, the department's Energy Information Administration said in its weekly survey of service stations.
The AAA auto club predicts 33.2 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home by car this Thanksgiving, up 2.1 percent from last year.
This year's much higher fuel prices reflect expensive crude oil, which has hovered near $80 a barrel for several weeks. The price of oil accounts for more than half of what consumers pay at the pump for a gallon of gasoline.
In its weekly price survey, the EIA found the West Coast had the most expensive gasoline at $2.88 a gallon, down 1.2 cents. By city, Los Angeles had the highest price at $3, down 1.3 cents.
The Gulf Coast states had the lowest regional price at $2.51 a gallon, up 0.9 cent. Houston had the cheapest city pump price at $2.43, down 1.7 cents.
The agency also said gasoline prices were up 0.4 cent at $2.82 in Seattle; up 0.3 cent at $2.76 in Miami; down 1.5 cents at $2.72 in Chicago; down 0.1 cent at $2.68 in New York; down 1.7 cents at $2.61 in Boston; up 9.8 cents at $2.61 in Cleveland and down 1.7 cents at $2.51 in Denver.
By Tom Doggett
WASHINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - As millions of Americans plan to travel by car this week for the Thanksgiving Day holiday, consumers are paying about 75 cents more for a gallon of gasoline than last year, the Energy Department said on Monday.
The national price for regular unleaded gasoline increased a penny over the past week to $2.64 a gallon, much higher than the $1.89 last Thanksgiving, the department's Energy Information Administration said in its weekly survey of service stations.
The AAA auto club predicts 33.2 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles from home by car this Thanksgiving, up 2.1 percent from last year.
This year's much higher fuel prices reflect expensive crude oil, which has hovered near $80 a barrel for several weeks. The price of oil accounts for more than half of what consumers pay at the pump for a gallon of gasoline.
In its weekly price survey, the EIA found the West Coast had the most expensive gasoline at $2.88 a gallon, down 1.2 cents. By city, Los Angeles had the highest price at $3, down 1.3 cents.
The Gulf Coast states had the lowest regional price at $2.51 a gallon, up 0.9 cent. Houston had the cheapest city pump price at $2.43, down 1.7 cents.
The agency also said gasoline prices were up 0.4 cent at $2.82 in Seattle; up 0.3 cent at $2.76 in Miami; down 1.5 cents at $2.72 in Chicago; down 0.1 cent at $2.68 in New York; down 1.7 cents at $2.61 in Boston; up 9.8 cents at $2.61 in Cleveland and down 1.7 cents at $2.51 in Denver.
Separately, the average price for diesel fuel decreased 0.3 cent to $2.79 a gallon, 12 cents more than a year ago, the EIA said.
Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN2326980620091124
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