Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.55, down 11 cents from one week ago. One year ago, the price was $3.39. The New York State average is $3.79, down 6 cents since last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.56. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.62 (down 9 cents from last week)
• Buffalo - $3.73 (down 3 cents from last week)
• Elmira - $3.64 (down 5 cents from last week)
• Ithaca - $3.79 (down 1 cent from last week)
• Rochester - $3.76 (down 4 cents from last week)
• Rome - $3.82 (down 7 cents from last week)
• Syracuse - $3.73 (down 4 cents from last week)
• Watertown - $3.85 (down 6 cents from last week)

Millions of drivers traveling for Thanksgiving benefited from falling pump prices. The national average has fallen sharply since the June peak of nearly $5.02. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, while lower, this year’s Thanksgiving average gas prices were the highest since AAA started keeping records in 2000.

One of the reasons for the recent drop in gas prices is lower oil prices. This morning, oil prices range from $74 to $81 per barrel, down from $80 to $87 one week ago.

Diesel fuel prices remain elevated with the national average at $5.22, down 8 cents from last week, but up from $3.11 one year ago. The New York average for diesel is $5.86, down 9 cents from last week and up from $3.76 one year ago.

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.