Florida's average price for regular gasoline fell to $3.79 a gallon on Monday, according to AAA, extending a slide that has taken prices to their lowest point in four months.
AAA's daily survey put the statewide average at $3.7925, down about a penny from Sunday, roughly 7 cents from a week ago and about 35 cents from a month ago. Drivers were still paying close to 94 cents more than at this time last year, when the average was $2.855.
In the Orlando area, regular averaged $3.81 on Monday, compared with $3.85 a week earlier and $4.12 a month ago, AAA's metro figures show. Diesel in the Orlando market averaged about $5.94.
In its weekly release on Sunday, AAA - The Auto Club Group said the state average had dropped 62 cents since peaking at $4.42 in late September and nearly 72 cents under this year's high of $4.52, set May 7. Florida remains below the national average, which AAA listed at $4.01 on Monday.
AAA attributed the decline to falling oil and gasoline futures. U.S. crude settled at $90.83 a barrel on Friday, about 11% below its Oct. 20 settlement, and gasoline futures settled at $2.78 a gallon, according to the club.
"Florida drivers are finally seeing some meaningful relief at the pump, and there could be more on the way," said Mark Jenkins, who speaks for the auto club. He said lower wholesale prices can take time to reach the pump and that "it's unclear how low prices could go."
