AAA Texas: Demand for fuel up, state average up five cents

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — Gas prices continue to fluctuate, with Texas drivers paying more at the pump than they were a year ago at this time.

The statewide gas price average in Texas is $3.30 per gallon for regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. That price is five cents more than on this day last week and is 15 cents more per gallon compared to this day last year.

Drivers in San Antonio are in a similar spot, now paying $3.36 for a gallon of regular, which is up 12 cents over last week.

“Fuel price fluctuations remain possible throughout May,” said AAA Texas spokesperson, Daniel Armbruster. “Demand for fuel is increasing as the weather warms and that can mean higher fuel prices, especially as the busy Memorial Day travel period approaches.”

Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Texas, drivers in Dallas are paying the most on average at $3.44 per gallon while drivers in Lubbock are paying the least at $3.07 per gallon.

The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.67, which is one cent more when compared to this day last week and seven cents more per gallon when compared to this day last year.

The latest data from the Energy Information Administration shows a healthy increase in demand for the last part of April. With the onset of warmer weather, consumers are hitting the roads more frequently, leading to an uptick in fuel consumption. However, this surge in demand may also translate into potential price fluctuations in the coming weeks, particularly as the historically busy Memorial Day travel period approaches.