Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.47, down four cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $3.83. The New York State average is $3.58, down two cents from last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.90. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.55 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Buffalo - $3.58 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Elmira - $3.41 (down 5 cents from last Monday)
• Ithaca - $3.65 (no change from last Monday)
• Rochester - $3.62 (no change from last Monday)
• Rome - $3.64 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Syracuse - $3.55 (down 2 cents from last Monday)
• Watertown - $3.60 (down 3 cents from last Monday)

The national average for a gallon of gasoline dropped four cents since last week to $3.47. The drop comes as Tropical Storm Debby entered the Gulf of Mexico off the southwest coast of Florida on Saturday afternoon. According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand decreased slightly as domestic gasoline stocks fell. Crude oil prices have also dropped down recently, trading in the low to mid $70s per barrel this morning. Lower gasoline demand but lower oil costs may lead to flat or slowly decreasing pump prices dipping, but this depends on Atlantic storm development. The oil market is volatile and the threat of a hurricane impacting production and refining could push oil prices higher, and consequently lead to higher prices at the pump.

Meanwhile, AAA is rolling out a new feature: EV charging price data! AAA members are 28% more likely than the U.S. adult population overall to have an electric vehicle. AAA is adding the kilowatt-per-hour cost for Level 2 (L2) commercial charging by state. As of Thursday, the national average for a kilowatt of electricity at an L2 commercial charging station is 34 cents.

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.