October 28,2014
Tulare County gas stations in the Porterville area continue to sport the lowest prices for gasoline in the state this week. GasBuddy posted the above map that shows the Cantral Valley offering cheaper prices than the rest of California.
This week one station near Porterville,Eagle Feather near Lake Success, is offering regular for $2.85 per gallon with more than dozen outlets at $2.91 and below.
Statewide Gas Buddy says the California average has dropped to $3.38 from $3.70 a month ago and $4 a gallon late July. It was $4.28 in late April the highest of the year.
Nationwide the average is nearing $3 as oil prices have dipped to to around $80 a barrel from over $104 this summer. A year ago the average Califrnia price was $3.73. The last time gas prices were this low was Fall of 2010.
If low gas prices are good for the average consumer as well as many businesses and farms it is not helping drive the sales of alternative fuel vehicles. Hybrids, EVs and other alternative-fuel vehicles don’t sell well when gas prices are falling.
Gas Buddy reports that Tanner Hulette, general manager of Mechanicsville Toyota near Richmond, Va., said he’s seeing higher demand for pickups and SUVs, and less interest in the Prius hybrid. The store’s year-to-date light-truck sales are up 5 percent while car sales are down 5 percent. And gas near him is as low as $2.70.
“The floor traffic is dictated by what’s going on with fuel,” Hulette said. “If we didn’t have SUVs and light trucks right now we’d definitely be feeling some pain.”