Gasoline prices in LV are back above $2 mark

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2004 | 11:06 a.m.

The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Las Vegas leapt four cents a gallon between Sunday and today, climbing over the $2 mark, the AAA national fuel survey said.

Sean Comey, spokesman for the road service organization formerly known as the American Automobile Association, said crude oil prices -- $46 a barrel this week down just $3 from Friday's record high -- and expected increased highway travel for the Labor Day weekend are pushing pump prices upward.

The average price of unleaded regular gasoline in Las Vegas rose from $1.98 a gallon Sunday to $2.02 a gallon this morning, according to AAA.

While a number of local gasoline stations still are posting prices just under $2, motorists were concerned by the sudden boost in prices after paying in the $1.80s at many stations just a week ago.

"I'm very upset to see prices rising again -- I'm on a fixed income," said Nona Guy, a local resident since 1996, as she pumped gasoline Tuesday at the Rebel station at Windmill Parkway and Eastern Avenue. The price of unleaded regular at the Rebel was just a tenth of a penny below $2.

"But like everyone else, I'm stuck. If I want to drive my car, I have to have gasoline, whatever the price."

John Moczynski, who moved to Las Vegas last year, said as a home inspector he travels as much as 100 miles a day and needs to use his Ford Ranger to get to those jobs no matter what prices are posted at the pumps.

"It's like being on a roller coaster," said Moczynski as he filled up at the Chevron at Sunset Road and Boulder Highway -- pumping $32 of fuel into a tank that cost him $40 to $44 to fill during record-setting fuel prices last spring.

"It seems like once in a while you get a lull, and then the prices shoot back up. I don't really drive around looking for the best price because that's putting too many more miles on your vehicle just to save a few cents. But I will say that higher gasoline prices do curtail my pleasure traveling."

In late June a number of area stations began pricing gasoline at $1.99. On May 26 Las Vegas pump prices hit an all-time average high of $2.28 per gallon, AAA said.

Las Vegas pump prices of $2.02 a gallon now are 14 cents higher than the national average, AAA said.

Average pump prices in Las Vegas increased significantly for all grades in the past 24 hours, with regular up by two cents, midgrade up by two cents to $2.13 and premium up two cents to $2.21, the AAA survey said.

The same holds true for the statewide average, with regular up two cents from Tuesday to $2.05, midgrade up two cents to $2.16 and premium up two cents to $2.24, the AAA survey said.

Nevada today passed New York ($2.04 per gallon) to move into fourth place among states with the nation's highest prices for gasoline. It remained behind Hawaii ($2.34 per gallon), Alaska, ($2.09) and California ($2.08), the AAA survey said.