Gas Under $4 a Gallon? Believe It!

It seemed unlikely to happen a month ago, but the price of gasoline has dipped under $4 a gallon at some service stations in the East Bay. Those include three stations in Union City.

The average price nationwide is now $3.84 for a gallon of regular unleaded, down 12 cents from a week ago, according to the California State Automobile Association.

In California, the average price has sunk to $4.12 for a gallon of unleaded regular, 10 cents less than a week ago.

In the East Bay, the price for regular unleaded has dropped to $4.11 a gallon, 11 cents cheaper than a week ago.

However, on the website gasbuddy.com, there are a handful of stations in virtually every community that are selling regular unleaded for under $4 a gallon.

According to gasbuddy.com, there are three gas stations in Union City with prices below the $4 mark. Users have reported gas as low as $3.95 at the ABE gas station on Mission Boulevard and Tamarack Drive; $3.97 at at the 76 on Whipple Road (on Hayward/Union City border); and $3.99 at the Shell station at Alvarado Boulevard and Dyer Street.

Prices are lower next door in Fremont. A gallon of regular unleaded is currently $3.89 at Costco in Fremont—one of the cheapest prices in the East Bay. At the Costco on the Hayward/Union City border, gas is $3.95.

The sinking gas prices come as vacationers prepare to head out for the Memorial Day weekend. Triple A officials estimate 4.2 million Californians will travel more than 50 miles this holiday weekend. That's a 0.2 percent increase over last year.

“While concerns over higher gas prices are causing some travelers to opt out of a summer road trip, many are modifying or scaling back in other types of vacation expenditures,” said CSAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris. “Many people expect to stay with family and friends in order to afford a few days away from home.”