Saving at the gas pump in March? Believe it or not, Americans are paying less at the pump today than a year ago.
Nationwide they’re saving nearly 25 cents per gallon on average, versus a year ago. In Pennsylvania for instance, motorists are seeing local prices averaging $3.65 per gallon, a reduction of 24.1 cents per gallon versus 2012 prices.
And, in many markets, Americans are saving even more, such as Chicago for instance. The windy city leads the nation with savings of more than 50 cents per gallon (on average) versus last year. In fact, all major U.S. cities are seeing lower prices than a year ago.
Apparently Middle America is enjoying the greatest gains with Milwaukee, St. Louis, and smaller cities like Gary, IN recording substantial savings today versus 2012.
“It’s a stark contrast from last year when we saw the national average at $3.87 on this date, edging closer to the peak that occurred April 5 at $3.93,” said Patrick
DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst with GasBuddy, who added, “The numbers don’t lie. Retail gas prices this year have declined at a time when we’re more accustomed to steady increases. Especially when we compare with last year, it reflects stronger refinery performance; relatively smooth and uneventful transition to ‘summer blend’ gasoline; and, the absence of catalysts that could push prices in the other direction.”
“Have prices peaked for 2013?” asked Gregg Laskoski, another GasBuddy senior petroleum analyst. “That’ll have to be a rhetorical question for now . . . the variables that could give us the answer are too numerous to list.”
About GasBuddy
GasBuddy operates PennsylvaniaGasPrices.com and more than 250 similar Web sites that track gasoline prices at more than 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada. In addition, GasBuddy offers a free smartphone app, which has been downloaded more than 25 million times to help motorists find the lowest gasoline prices in their area.
