Kentucky closes out summer among states with lowest gas prices as demand falls, oil prices plunge

After idling over the Labor Day weekend, the national average for a gallon of gas resumed its pace of daily declines by falling 6 cents since last week to $3.29. Meanwhile, Kentucky closed out the summer travel season by dropping below the $3 mark for a gallon of regular. Key contributors are low gas demand and the plunging cost of oil, which has dipped below $70 a barrel.

“There are now 11 states with gasoline averages below $3 a gallon, which means thousands of retail outlets in much of the Midwest and South selling gas at similarly low prices,” says Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager, AAA Blue Grass. “While typically September is a peak month for hurricanes, we’ve see this year’s hurricane season remain weak and disorganized, which makes it more likely the trend of falling pump prices will continue.”

With an estimated 1.2 million AAA members living in households with one or more electric vehicles, AAA now tracks the kilowatt-per-hour cost for Level 2 (L2) commercial charging by state. AAA members are 28% more likely than the US adult population overall to have an electric vehicle.

Friday’s national average for a kilowatt of electricity at an L2 commercial charging station is 34 cents. In Kentucky, the average cost for a kilowatt of electricity at an L2 commercial charging station is 41 cents. The Commonwealth has 168 charging stations reporting and has the 9th highest average price per kW in the nation.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand fell last week from 9.30 million barrels per day to 8.93. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks rose slightly from 218.4 to 219.2 million barrels, and gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.7 million daily.

“Falling gasoline demand and oil costs will likely keep pump prices sliding,” Weaver Hawkins adds.

Today’s national average for a gallon of gas fell a penny overnight to $3.29, making the current cost for a gallon of regular gasoline 17 cents less than a month ago and 51 cents less than a year ago.

In Kentucky, today’s average is down a penny overnight to $2.98, which is 10 cents lower than one week ago, 23 cents lower than a month ago and 49 cents less than a year ago. Kentucky rates 10th lowest among the 10 states currently boasting average prices below the $3 mark.

The average gas price in Lexington dropped a couple of pennies overnight, but is still hovering above the $3 mark, now at $3.09. Lexington’s current gas price average plummeted 17 cents from one week ago and 19 cents lower than a month ago. Today’s price is 42 cents lower than a year ago.

Around the Commonwealth, the highest county-level average gas price can be found in Menifee County at $3.48. The cheapest county-wide average price of gasoline in the Commonwealth can again be found in Simpson County at $2.65, among nearly 70 counties now averaging below the $3 mark.

Elsewhere, the average price for a gallon of regular today in Ohio is at $3.13, West Virginia $3.20, Virginia $3.16, Indiana $3.31, Tennessee $2.86, Illinois $3.59 and Missouri $2.97. Missouri and Tennessee remains the only states bordering Kentucky with a lower gas price average.

The highest gasoline average price in the country is California at $4.66, while Mississippi has the lowest average gas price, now at $2.82.

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.66), Hawaii ($4.65), Washington ($4.16), Nevada ($3.99), Oregon ($3.76), Alaska ($3.73), Illinois ($3.59), Utah ($3.58), Idaho ($3.58), and Washington, D.C. ($3.54)

Compared to last Friday, the 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.82), Oklahoma ($2.86), Tennessee ($2.86), Alabama ($2.88), Louisiana ($2.89), Texas ($2.89), South Carolina ($2.91), Arkansas ($2.94), Missouri ($2.97), and Kentucky ($2.98) .

Gas-saving tips for fall travel

• Get your vehicle checked out . Perform regular car maintenance at the intervals recommended by the vehicle manufacturer in the owner’s manual or as indicated by the in-car maintenance reminder system. If you have an aging battery, be sure to have it tested before heading out on your trip.

• Keep tires properly inflated . Under-inflated tires can decrease your gas mileage by approximately 3%. Not to mention, properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Check pressure in all four tires every two weeks with an accurate, hand-held air pressure gauge.

• Know your octane . Do not purchase mid-grade or premium gasoline unless your owner’s manual specifically recommends it. According to AAA research, Americans waste more than $2.1 billion annually on premium gas in vehicles designed to run on regular fuel. AAA found no benefit to using premium gas instead of regular-grade fuel. At the time of the study, 70% of U.S. drivers owned a vehicle that required only regular gasoline.

• Avoid idling . Idling gets zero miles per gallon. Letting your vehicle idle for more than 10 seconds uses more gas than shutting it off and restarting. Don’t start your car until you are ready to go. The engine actually warms up more quickly once the car is operating and will stay warm after stopping. Avoid drive-up windows. Park and go inside instead.

• Observe the speed limit . Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.15 per gallon of gas. Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

• Drive sensibly . Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.

• Plan your trip . Carefully planning out your road trip can save you time and money. With a little planning, you can avoid retracing your route and reduce the distance you travel as well. You’ll not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car.

• Minimize drag . Drag reduces fuel efficiency. Driving with the windows open, using roof- or rear-mounted racks and carrying heavy loads increase vehicle drag. A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to meet your needs in a smaller, more fuel-efficient car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent. Reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by using a removable rack and placing items inside the trunk whenever possible. Avoid carrying unnecessary items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces a typical car’s fuel economy by 1-2%.

AAA Blue Grass

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