Summer's Here, Fuel Prices Continue to Fall

We're on a roll.

A day before the first official day of summer – when fuel costs typically spike – the price of gasoline got a little bit cheaper, marking five weeks of decline.

The national average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded fell another nickel since last week to $3.64 – that's 22 cents cheaper than a month ago, according to the California State Automobile Association website. It's still a ways up from $2.73, the price of a gallon a year ago.

California's fuel prices outpaced the national average, however. The state average: $3.90 per gallon of unleaded. Still, that's 4 cents less than a week ago. It's also 24 cents less than a month ago and 79 cents more than this time last year.

This week's average per-gallon cost on unleaded fuel in the East Bay's Oakland metro area is $3.89, a few cents down from last Monday and 26 cents down from a month ago.

You can find a better deal if you shop around, though.

The cheapest gas in Union City this week is $3.75 per gallon of unleaded at Abe gas station, which is off Mission Boulevard and Tamarack Drive, according to Gas Buddy, which updates prices daily.

Prices throughout town range between $3.75 and $3.99.

In nearby Newark, commuters can find the cheapest gas at A & S Car Wash, which is located at 7275 Thornton Ave. The average costs are listed between $3.75 and $3.89.

Prices are even cheaper in Fremont and Hayward, which list gas prices as low as $3.69 at some stations. Gas is $3.69 per gallon at Fremont Gasoline, located at 43250 Grimmer Blvd. in Fremont, and $3.71 at several Arco stations. In Hayward, the Arco on 365 Jackson St. also currently charges $3.69 per gallon.

In Castro Valley, you can buy gas for $3.69 a gallon at the Quick N Save on the corner of Stanton and San Carlos avenues and for $3.75 at Arco, on Center Street by Grove Way.

For more information about the gas prices in your city, go to www.gasbuddy.com and plug in your ZIP code.