Sentinel staff report–
Citrus Heights drivers don’t have to travel far to find the cheapest price on gas in the entire state of California — as of Wednesday afternoon, the lowest pump prices are right here in town at $2.47 per gallon, according to statewide data tracked and reported by GasBuddy.
Three gas stations in Citrus Heights made it on GasBuddy’s top 10 lowest priced stations in California on Wednesday afternoon, all pricing a gallon of regular unleaded fuel at $2.47, which is about 50 cents cheaper than the statewide average. The stations listed were ARCO at 5440 San Juan Ave., as well as the Citrus Heights Costco and Sam’s Club gas stations.
The prices are not expected to hold for long, as a new California gas tax will go into effect on Nov. 1 that will add a 12-to-20 cent tax per gallon. The tax was passed by the legislature earlier this year as part of a promise to repair roads and invest in transportation, but the legislation could be overturned if opponents are successful in repealing the law, SB 1, at the ballot box next year.
According to an Oct. 23 report from AAA, California is currently the second most-expensive market for fuel in all 50 states, with an average price per gallon of $3.03 for regular gasoline. Hawaii is the only state to exceed California’s gas prices, with an average cost of $3.11 per gallon.
Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, confirmed that three Citrus Heights gas stations had the cheapest fuel prices in the state on Wednesday. He said GasBuddy compiles its top 10 list through several sources, with some pricing data coming directly from stations and other data supplied by users and credit card companies.
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The Boston, Mass.-based based company has a popular phone app that allows users to locate and report the latest prices on gas. The GasBuddy app boasts over 10 million downloads in the Google Play store, and the company claims to have over 70 million users.
Asked what factors may have led to Citrus Heights holding title to the lowest gas prices, DeHaan noted the cheapest stations — Costco, Sam’s Club, and ARCO — are all “low-priced leaders,” and tend to either use gasoline as a loss leader or don’t accept credit cards in order to save on processing expenses and cut costs.
He also said there could be a higher level of competition in the area presently, but said a clear answer on local gas price trends is “not always explainable.” Historical data on whether Citrus Heights stations have been on GasBuddy’s top 10 list in the past was also unavailable.
By Wednesday night, the ARCO gas station at 5751 Hillsdale Blvd. in Sacramento was also added to GasBuddy’s top 10 list, with a price of $2.47 per gallon. The Safeway gas station at Dewey Drive and Madison Avenue in Fair Oaks also came in close with a price of $2.48 per gallon.
See a one-year chart showing fuel price trends in California: click here.
