Pain At The Pump In Temecula As Gas Prices Near 10-Year High: Report

TEMECULA, CA —High oil prices and higher production costs are to blame for the most expensive gasoline costs in nearly 10 years, officials say. On Monday, the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Temecula is hovering between $4.45 and $5.29.

Officials reported that the summer-blend gasoline is hitting the market, which is more expensive to produce. Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California's corporate communications and programs manager, stated: "world tensions and OPEC concerns" are another reason for the rising oil prices.

According to GasBuddy.com, in and around Temecula, the cheapest gasoline within 10 miles was $4.45 per gallon at the Excaliber Fuel station in Murrieta. The highest cost of fuel was $5.29 per gallon. At the Temecula Costco Gas Station, gas prices Monday morning were $4.49 per gallon, GasBuddy.com reports.

As Temecula Realtor Sarah Drago shared her woes of pain at the pump, other residents commiserated over Facebook.

"I looked up at the top line of words and thought it said 'cash customers, please pray,'" says Julie Farnbach.

Friends from across the country cited their cost of gas, noting the reduced rates in other places.

"Yikes. That's more than a dollar more per gallon than we are paying here (in Utah)," Bruce Fallon replied. Another friend admitted current gas prices are reminiscent of 1987.

Meanwhile, in Riverside County, the average price of self-serve, unleaded gasoline has risen for the seventh consecutive day to $4.65, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

It has increased 5.7 cents over the past seven days, including 1.3 cents Saturday and 1.8 cents Wednesday, the most significant daily increase since Nov. 13.

The average price is 5.6 cents more than one week ago, 4.1 cents higher than one month ago and $1.214 greater than one year ago. It is 3.8 cents shy of matching the record high of $4.688 set on Oct. 8, 2012. The 2012 figures included stations in San Bernardino County.

On Friday, the price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate crude on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose to its highest settlement value since Sept. 29, 2014, increasing $2.04 to $92.31. That cost has risen $17.10 since New Year's Day.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, crude oil costs account for slightly more than half of the pump price.

City News Service, Patch Staffer Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.