TEMPLE, Texas — Drivers can still save money on gas this holiday season, but they will need to plan their route carefully.
The statewide gas price average in Texas is $3.00 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. That price is $1.21 more per gallon compared to the same day last year.
According to a AAA Texas release, "After stubbornly staying above $80 a barrel since Labor Day, the price of crude oil tumbled this week into the mid-$70s. However, drivers in Texas are paying the most for a gallon of regular unleaded on average since Thanksgiving 2013".
Drivers can start planning a route at gasprices.aaa.com because the location you choose to fill up does matter.
Of the major metropolitan areas AAA surveyed in Texas, drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $3.22 per gallon while drivers in Amarillo are paying the least at $2.85 per gallon. Drivers on a long trip may want to decide what city is best for filling up the tank.
Drivers should also search out the best prices in the city they choose too fill up in.
A search of gas prices across the Temple, Texas area showed the price of unleaded gas varying from $3.15 a gallon to $2.77. When filling up even a 15- gallon tank, a few minutes on your phone could be all it takes to save a few dollars.
AAA Spokesman Daniel Armbruster told 6 News Wednesday that drivers can and should search for a better deal if gas at one station looks to high.
"Seventy-five percent of drivers fill up just based on convenience and a location that they normally go to. You can save money if you shop around a bit and trying to find a cheaper price along your route."