SAN ANTONIO – Gasoline posted at $1.55 gallon at the beginning of the Labor Day weekend is just one more sign the summer has been anything but typical.
Drivers inclined to make an end-of-summer road trip are seeing the lowest gas prices in 16 years as the pandemic has blunted demand.
“Nobody in Texas should pay anything that starts with a $2 as we are having the cheapest Labor Day weekend since 2004,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst at GasBuddy.
Retailers on the Northeast Side, near I-35 and Judson and Pat Booker Road, were selling fuel for $1.55 Friday.
After a long stay-at-home summer, some stir-crazy Americans are expected to travel overwhelmingly by car. AAA said most will travel close to home.
The San Antonio region is paying an average of $1.77 per gallon, according to GasBuddy, 44 cents less than one year ago.
“That’s due to the fact that coronavirus muted gasoline demand,” DeHaan said.
Demand was down 15% for the entire summer compared to last year, he said, keeping prices off the usual summer roller coaster. Not even Hurricane Laura had much impact.
As for what’s ahead, DeHaan said the decline should continue to fall as demand diminishes and refineries switch to winter blends. Drivers can expect to see another 10- to 15-cent slide by Halloween.