Prices spring up at the pump

BURBANK — The spring gas price surge has hit motorists early this year, with rates approaching records set in 2007.

The average cost of a regular gallon of unleaded gasoline in the Los Angeles area on Monday was $3.47, up 35 cents from prices a month ago, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

That comes within about 3 1/2 cents of 2007 records, said Jeffrey Spring, a spokesman for the automobile club.

“The key reason really is that oil prices are staying so darn high and running up even higher,” he said.

Industry analysts are accustomed to seeing upswings in the spring due in part to anticipation of the summer driving season and gas manufacturers’ switch from winter blends to a more environmentally friendly summer blend, which is more expensive to make, he said.

But drivers don’t usually see that increase at the pump until late March and into April.

In Burbank on Tuesday, commuters lamented skyrocketing costs at the pump.

“There’s nothing I can do about it,” said Jim Gonzales, 31, of Los Angeles, as he filled up at the Chevron station on West Alameda Avenue. “It’s too hard to carpool in L.A., and riding the bus takes too long.”

Prices there were $3.59 per gallon of regular unleaded.

Trading activity among commodity investors, who are bidding up the price of wholesale gasoline, is also affecting retail prices, Spring said.

“For the last four or five years, the market has been so volatile, it’s hard to say how high it’s going to climb and how long it’s going to take,” he said.

“We usually see a 40- to 50-cents-a-gallon increase in the spring, and we’re seeing that play out now.

“But it’s hard to say where that’s going to stop.”

Some analysts are saying that the commodity market is overselling gas, which could mean some price relief, he said.

“Where we go from here, it’s really anybody’s guess,” Spring said.

There are some signs that the recent surge is beginning to slow down. While prices rose an average of 2 to 3 cents a day for most of February, recent increases were closer to a penny per day, he said.

“If it’s any worse, I’ll have to start cutting back on other things in my budget,” said Denise Rayburn, 27, of Hollywood.

Developing fuel conservation strategies is one way drivers can cope with rising gas prices, Spring said.

“If they haven’t done it all year long, they should see things they can do to conserve their gasoline use,” he said.

“Do anything you can do to change the style of your commute or change the style of your driving.”

Even becoming a less aggressive driver — avoiding jack-rabbit starts and weaving in and out of traffic — can cut down on the amount of fuel a car consumes, Spring said.

The results of a Automobile Club of Southern California study last year showed that driving more moderately can bring as much as a 20% cost savings, he said.