Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.76, down 3 cents from one week ago. One year ago, the price was $3.40.

The New York State average is $3.82, up 14 cents since last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.55. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

•    Batavia - $3.75 (up 2 cents from last week)
•    Buffalo - $3.76 (up 9 cents from last week)
•    Elmira - $3.76 (up 24 cents from last week)
•    Ithaca - $3.80 (up 9 cents from last week)
•    Rochester - $3.79 (up 9 cents from last week)
•    Rome - $3.85 (up 10 cents from last week)
•    Syracuse - $3.73 (up 14 cents from last week)
•    Watertown - $3.83 (up 13 cents from last week)

After several weeks of declining prices, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline spiked by 14 cents this week. The latest data from the Energy Information Administration shows that gas demand increased though it remains lower than last year at this time.

Earlier this month, President Biden announced the release of 15 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve this winter to help keep gas prices down. Since the barrels are part of an earlier planned Strategic Petroleum Reserve release, the market is likely to have already priced in the impact on oil prices. The Biden administration said it plans to restock the reserves as soon as oil prices fall between $67 and $72 per barrel. Higher than last week, oil prices range from $87 to $95 per barrel this morning.

To conserve fuel, motorists should map routes, avoid peak traffic times like rush hour, and combine errands into one trip while using cruise control when possible. Drivers should also make sure tire pressure is at the vehicle’s recommended level for the best gas mileage while removing any unnecessary and bulky items from the car since it takes more fuel to accelerate a heavy vehicle. Get more tips here: https://gasprices.aaa.com/news/fuel-saving-tips/. Motorists can benefit from comparing pump prices before filling up with the AAA Mobile App for iPhone, iPad, and Android. 

AAA members receive discounts at gas stations such as Fastrac, Maple Leaf Market and Shell. Learn more here. AAA members can save on gas by joining the Fuel Rewards at Shell program. Join now at AAA.com/Shell. Motorists can also locate gas prices across the country and stay up-to-date on the latest news and fuel-saving tips at http://gasprices.aaa.com.