Just as Chuck Mai at AAA Oklahoma predicted earlier in the week, the nation’s gasoline average rose over the $2 average. It hit $2.01 on Thursday while Oklahoma’s average price was $1.87, or 37 cents above the price one month ago. Still, AAA Oklahoma says Oklahoma drivers will pay the cheapest gasoline for Easter in a dozen years.
“Americans tend to travel more this time of year,” said Mai. “In addition to celebrating Good Friday and Easter, many families also are taking road trips for spring break, if they haven’t already. As they hit the road, they will still pay the cheapest prices for gasoline for this time of year since 2004. The recent uptick in the average retail price of gasoline can be attributed in part to another rite of spring—the seasonal switchover from winter-grade to summer-grade gasoline.”
Americans paid $3.64 a gallon ahead of Easter in 2014 and four years ago, pump prices were heading toward $4 a gallon at Easter many parts of the country.
Oklahoma’s price average on March 24, 2012 stood at $3.69 per gallon.
Mai and others had predicted the national gasoline average would top the $2 level this week.
“Over the past month, retail prices have climbed an average of a penny per day, climbing from $1.70 per gallon to within a penny of $2 a gallon,” according to Mai.
