Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.58, four cents higher than last Monday. One year ago, the price was $4.62. The New York State average is $3.71, up five cents since last 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 last Monday)
•    Buffalo - $3.68 (no change from last Monday)
•    Elmira - $3.66 (up 1 cent from last Monday)
•    Ithaca - $3.72 (up 3 cents from last Monday)
•    Rochester - $3.73 (up 1 cent from last Monday)
•    Rome - $3.73 (up 5 cents from last Monday)
•    Syracuse - $3.69 (up 1 cent from last Monday)
•    Watertown - $3.76 (up 2 cents from last Monday)

Coming off the long holiday weekend, the seasonal surge in gasoline demand has seen national pump prices increase on average four cents a gallon since last Monday. New York is seeing a similar increase. As demand for gasoline rises, oil prices remain close to $70 a barrel and that is keeping gas prices from edging even higher. This is expected to be a big week for oil markets as Congress is set to vote on the debt ceiling deal and OPEC+ is preparing to meet.

On average, drivers across the country and in New York are paying over a dollar less for gas than they did a year ago this week.

Diesel prices dipped slightly. The national average price for a gallon of diesel is $3.95, down three cents from a week ago. Here in New York, the current average for diesel is $4.55, down four cents from last week.

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.