Gasoline Price Nears $4 Per Gallon Again In Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County neared $4 for the first time since Nov. 9, 2019, rising 1.3 cents Friday to $3.999, the 18th increase in 20 days.

The average price has risen 9 cents in the past 20 days, including nine-tenths of a cent Thursday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It rose 12 consecutive days, was unchanged last Friday, rose a half-cent Saturday and four-tenths of a cent Sunday, dropped one-tenth of a cent Monday then resumed increasing Tuesday.

The average price is 4.1 cents higher than one week ago, 12 cents more than one month ago and $1.336 greater than one year ago. It has risen 82.3 cents since the start of the year, mainly because of a run of 82 increases in 84 days totaling 70.4 cents that ended March 30.

Sightly reduced gasoline production and inventories are continuing to put upward pressure on Southern California gas prices, according to Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications manager.

The large price increase from one year ago is the result of a significant decrease during the early stage of the coronavirus pandemic, when driving and demand dropped substantially because of stay-at-home orders intended to reduce the spread of the virus.

The average price is 5.9 cents less than it was on April 30, 2019.