Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.24, down one cent from last Monday. One year ago, the price was $3.41. The New York State average is $3.53, down four cents from a week ago. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.71. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.55 (down 4 cents from last Monday)
• Buffalo - $3.63 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
• Elmira - $3.27 (down 5 cents from last Monday)
• Ithaca - $3.59 (down 2 cents from last Monday)
• Rochester - $3.61 (down 4 cents from last Monday)
• Rome - $3.61 (down 1 cent from last Monday)
• Syracuse - $3.55 (down 3 cents from last Monday)
• Watertown - $3.50 (down 5 cents from last Monday)

Now that December is here, gas prices continue to drop slightly along with demand. According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand decreased last week. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks increased. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is only down by one penny compared to last week due to fluctuating oil prices. This morning, oil prices are down to $73 to $77 per barrel. Since oil is the main ingredient in gasoline, those prices have a direct impact at the pump.

Diesel prices are also dropping. The national average price for diesel is $4.19, down four cents from last Monday, and down from $5.10 a year ago. The New York average for diesel is $4.59, down a penny from a week ago, and lower than $5.77 one year ago.

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.