AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Austin-area drivers are seeing another drop at the pump this week, according to the latest AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded across the Austin-San Marcos metro area is $3.30 this week, a nine cent drop from last week. The average is 11 cents higher than a year ago.
Across the state, drivers are also paying an average of $3.30 a gallon, which is eight cents less than last week and 15 cents more than this time last year.
Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Texas, drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $3.58 per gallon while drivers in Abilene are paying the least at $3.13 per gallon.
For the third consecutive week, the average gas price across the state has dropped. Recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reveals that there has been a notable decrease in gasoline demand. On Wednesday, the price of crude oil plummeted by more than $5 per barrel.
If crude oil prices remain lower, it is likely that retail fuel prices will continue to decrease. Additionally, the current shift to winter-blend gasoline will further contribute to lowering pump prices.
"Reduced fuel demand, falling crude oil prices, and the transition to cheaper winter-blend gasoline are all factors pushing down retail gasoline prices,” said Daniel Armbruster with AAA Texas.