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At $3.85 per gallon of regular gas, New Yorkers still pay the third most in the continental United States, topped only by California’s $4.02 and Washington D.C.'s $3.92; however, the national average is down to $3.60 per gallon, 10 cents cheaper than a month ago and nearly 10 cents lower than a year ago, according to AAA’s daily fuel gauge report. Robert Sinclair, the media relations manager for AAA New York, said fuel prices spiked in mid-February, and the region has seen a steady decline in prices since. “The price of crude oil has fallen slightly, that may have something to do with it,” he said. “The spike we’re anticipating can still come. The summer driving season is still a few months off, so we’ll have to see what happens.” Sinclair said there may still be a dramatic spike around Memorial Day, which is the unofficial kickoff of the summer driving season, when oil companies raise prices as motorists prepare to spend more time in the car. “If companies anticipate a busy Memorial Day, then we’ll probably have a busy summer,” he added. “With it, demand goes up, and oil companies never miss a chance to raise prices. That’s the next hurdle for us to look for.” Refineries have already made the switch from a winter blend of gasoline to the more expensive, eco-friendlier summer blend. The transition happened earlier than usual, which led to the spike in mid-February, as opposed to in March. “We usually get the jump in mid-March because the refineries need to shut down for a few days, sometimes even for a week or two. It creates short-term shortages,” Sinclair said. “It’s still pretty darn cold out, so their actions seemed premature.” Gas Buddy listed the 76 Station on Broadway and Bedford Road at $3.87 a gallon and the Century station on Bedford Road at $3.87.
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