Holiday travelers are enjoying cheaper prices at the pump. The national average on Friday was $2.45, nearly 20 cents higher than the Missouri state average.
In the Springfield area, it’s dropped all the way down to $1.99.
Michael Right is with AAA in St. Louis.
“Throughout the rest of the state of Missouri we’re looking at $2.16. So if you’re looking for gasoline, Springfield is a great place to head for,” Right said.
Right says the Springfield region is among a select few throughout the nation where prices are averaging below $2 a gallon.
Missouri as a whole tends to have lower prices than many other states. Right credits the state’s low fuel tax and the fact that there’s no additional sales tax.
“Whereas about half of the states not only impose a gallonage tax, they also impose a sales tax on top of that.”
While Missouri doesn't have any refineries, both crude oil and gasoline pipelines run through it and link to refineries throughout the country. Right also credits retail competition in keeping the prices consistently lower than then national average.
Right doesn’t foresee too much movement in current prices throughout the holiday season.
“We have crude oil selling for about $55-60 dollars a barrel, and if that continues we should enjoy the relatively low gasoline prices that we’re seeing today.”
