AAA News Release
With the national unleaded fuel price average at $2.10 a gallon, pump prices are 52-cents less than this time last year, reports AAA.
Twenty-one states have gas price averages at $2 or less including Nebraska’s neighboring states of Kansas ($1.87), Missouri ($1.84), and Iowa ($1.89). Oklahoma has the lowest state average in the nation at $1.69 a gallon for unleaded fuel.
“Nebraska will soon join the states with a fuel price average of $2 a gallon or less,” reports Rose White, spokesperson for AAA—The Auto Club Group. “The state average is currently at $2.01 a gallon. During the past week, the average has fallen 13 cents a gallon and is currently 57 cents lower than last year at this time. The last time the state average fell below $2 a gallon was March 11, 2016.”
Crude oil is the biggest driver of the less expensive gas prices. In the last week, crude oil prices dropped to $22 a barrel in the U.S. trading market – a low not seen since 2002, says AAA.
AAA’s Fuel Gauge website, which is updated daily, includes a color-coded county map of each state. The Nebraska state map shows that county averages range from a high of $2.49 a gallon (Thomas and Hooker counties) to a low of $1.56 (Thurston county).
“Typically gas prices start to trend more expensive at the beginning of spring, but that is not the case this year,” White said. “With Americans urged to stay at home and practice social distancing to slow the spread of coronavirus, there is less traffic on the roadways which is driving down fuel consumption.”
With retail pump prices continuing their downward trend, AAA anticipates that the national average may reach $2 a gallon by the end of this month.
For the latest information on fuel prices, visit www.gasprices.AAA.com.
