Local Gas Prices Dip, Still Higher than LI Average

The latest assessment from New York State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. of gas prices on Montauk Highway between Southampton and Montauk show the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is above both the Long Island and state averages.

Prices have declined across the board since the end of September, but on the South Fork's main artery, the decline has been much slower, Thiele reports. While the Long Island average slipped 8 cents in eleven days, the dip was half as much on the South Fork. The South Fork average, $3.81 cents, now matches the New York City average. It is 11 cents more expensive than the state average, and 8 cents more than the Nassau-Suffolk average.

"The trend of lower gasoline prices is a welcome one. However, since September 12, prices declined about 10 cents on the South Fork while declining by 24 cents Island-wide," Thiele was quoted as saying in a statement from his office. "It raises concerns as to why prices have not dropped as rapidly here on the South Fork. We had gasoline prices in the summer that were actually lower than the Long Island average. With the end of the summer season, the South Fork has lagged behind in the rate of decline.”

Thiele pointed out that in Amagansett and Montauk prices are still above the Long Island average despite precipitous drops since the end of summer.

“Prices at one station in Montauk have dropped by 33 cents since September 12," Thiele said. "A station in Amagansett had a 30 cent decline.”

The average price on the North Fork is about 20 cents below the South Fork, he added. “Prices have also declined faster on the North Fork than the South Fork since early September.”

Thiele reports his findings to the state attorney general, who he urged to investigate unfair or illegal pricing practices, such as zone pricing, "the establishment of arbitrary price differentials based on geographical location without regard to wholesale cost or other legitimate costs."

NEW YORK STATE GASOLINE PRICE COMPARISONS

                                       Average Price
Location                     Sept. 29   Oct. 10    Difference

New York State             $3.76         $3.70      -6 cents
South Fork                   $3.85         $3.81      -4 cents
Nassau-Suffolk             $3.81         $3.73      -8 cents
New York City               $3.88         $3.81      -7 cents

PRICE DIFFERENTIAL COMPARED TO SOUTH FORK

Location                        Sept. 29         Oct. 10

New York State                 -9 cents        -11 cents
Nassau-Suffolk                 -4 cents         -8 cents
New York City                  +3 cents          0 cents

MONTAUK HIGHWAY GAS PRICES FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR

                                                  Sept. 29    Oct. 10   Difference

• Hampton Gas-Southampton  $3.87       $3.83     -4 cents
• Shell-Southampton               $3.87       $3.83     -4 cents
• Hess-Southampton               $3.85       $3.81     -4 cents
• Sunoco-Southampton           $3.89       $3.89       0 cents
• Gulf-Southampton                $3.87       $3.81      -6 cents
• Coastal-Southampton           $3.83       $3.79      -4 cents
• Mobil-Southampton              $3.85       $3.81      -4 cents
• Shell-Water Mill                    $3.87       $3.83      -4 cents
• Hess-Bridgehampton            $3.85        $3.81     -4 cents
• Gulf-Bridgehampton             $3.89        $3.83     -6 cents
• Hess-Wainscott                    $3.85        $3.81     -4 cents
• American-East Hampton       $3.85        $3.81     -4 cents
• Gulf-Amagansett                  $4.09        $4.09      0 cents
• Mobil-Amagansett                $4.14       $4.14       0 cents
• Shell-Amagansett                 $4.14       $4.04    -10 cents
• Empire-Montauk                   $3.99       $3.85    -14 cents
• Shell-Montauk                      $4.09       $3.99    -10 cents
• Montauk Fuel                       $4.24       $4.24       0 cents