Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.57, up 3 cents since Monday. One year ago, the price was $4.60. The New York State average is $3.70, up 4 cents since Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $4.93. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

•    Batavia - $3.64 (up 2 cents since Monday)
•    Buffalo - $3.68 (no change since Monday)
•    Elmira - $3.66 (up 1 cent since Monday)
•    Ithaca - $3.70 (up 1 cent since Monday)
•    Rochester - $3.73 (up 1 cent since Monday)
•    Rome - $3.72 (up 4 cents since Monday)
•    Syracuse - $3.69 (up 1 cent since Monday)
•    Watertown - $3.77 (up 3 cents since Monday)

The seasonal surge in gasoline demand leading into the long holiday weekend has driven the national average price for a gallon of gas up 3 cents since our most recent release on Monday. That trend is evident across New York as well. AAA forecasts that Memorial Day road trips will be up 6% over last year, with more than 37 million Americans driving to their destinations. The good news – on average road trippers are paying over a dollar less per gallon than they did a year ago at this time. Low oil prices continue to help the overall trend.

Diesel prices dipped slightly. The national average price for a gallon of diesel is $3.96, down two cents since Monday. Here in New York, the current average for diesel is $4.59, no change since Monday.

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 news and fuel-saving tips at http://gasprices.AAA.com.