Gas prices in Massachusetts keep falling ahead of Labor Day weekend travel

Filling up the fuel tank for Labor Day weekend journey might be considerably cheaper than throughout the Fourth of July earlier this summer time, as pump costs preserve falling throughout the Bay State.

The typical for normal fuel in Massachusetts is now precisely at $4.00 a gallon — means down from the document excessive of $5.04 in mid-June. The typical will doubtless break the $4 mark within the subsequent few days with costs persevering with to nose-dive.

The $4.00 common is 47 cents cheaper than a month in the past. In the meantime, the nationwide common is eighteen cents decrease than the Bay State, coming in at $3.82 forward of the vacation weekend for the unofficial finish of summer time.

Inventories are decrease within the Northeast in comparison with different components of the nation, resulting in greater costs.

“Costs proceed to fall steadily, nevertheless, and that’s excellent news for motorists planning their final summer time driving journey over the upcoming Labor Day weekend,” mentioned Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast’s director of public and authorities affairs.

Based on an off-the-cuff regional survey of AAA members, 31% say they plan to journey for Labor Day weekend, whereas 49% won’t journey. Additionally within the survey, 70% of the respondents admitted that inflation –together with greater fuel and airfare costs — performed a task of their journey choices.

Nevertheless, a major variety of respondents mentioned they plan to journey within the remaining months of the 12 months or in 2023, particularly with airfare costs anticipated to say no this fall and winter.

After fuel costs spiked within the spring amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, costs have now declined each week of the summer time.

“It was a dizzying time as fuel costs surged forward of summer time, which prompted many People to rethink their summer time journey plans, just for the longest decline in fuel costs for the reason that pandemic to begin offering significant aid,” mentioned Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum evaluation for GasBuddy. “Because the solar units on summer time, fuel costs are in much more acquainted territory and will proceed to say no nicely into fall, barring main disruptions from hurricanes and the likes.”

For these hitting the highway on Labor Day weekend, AAA encourages drivers to go away early if potential. Additionally, whereas fuel costs are falling, individuals ought to refill their tank earlier than they hit the highway as a result of fuel is usually pricier at standard vacationer locations.

Forward of the vacation weekend, state officers had been reminding individuals to not drink and drive.

“Over #LaborDay weekend in 2020, 38% of visitors fatalities within the US concerned a driver who had been consuming,” MassDOT Security tweeted. “The selection is straightforward: Should you’re consuming, don’t drive. #DriveSober or Get Pulled Over.”