Gas prices fall statewide, with Costco's under $2
Advertiser Staff
Hawai'i gasoline prices fell for an 11th consecutive week, with prices breaking the $2 level at Costco Wholesale stations on O'ahu.
The AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report said statewide gasoline prices declined to an average of $2.489 a gallon for regular, 13 cents less than the week before.
Gasoline prices have been plummeting as crude oil prices fall from a high reached in July. While lower than they were three months ago, Hawai'i's average prices are the second-highest in the nation, behind Alaska. Those are the only two states where prices remain above $2 a gallon. The national average was $1.656.
Costco has been the low-pricing leader in Honolulu, and this week went below $2 a gallon. The retailer in part is able to reduce prices faster than smaller service stations because it receives frequent shipments of fuel. Smaller dealers sometimes must wait a week or so to sell out gasoline bought at higher prices before reducing prices because they've received a lower-priced tank load.
Costco and other large gasoline users such as the military also generally pay a discounted wholesale price based on long-term contracts.
The statewide average is down from $3.453 a year earlier.
The AAA also reported that:
The price report is collected from fleet vehicle credit-card transactions and represents the combined averages of the last card swipe of Thursday. AAA does not survey Kaua'i prices.