Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.51, up two cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $3.54. The New York State average is $3.62, up three cents from last Monday. A year ago, the NYS average was $3.68. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.57 (up 5 cents from last Monday)
• Buffalo - $3.62 (up 4 cents from last Monday)
• Elmira - $3.50 (up 11 cents from last Monday)
• Ithaca - $3.67 (up 4 cents from last Monday)
• Rochester - $3.64 (up 3 cents from last Monday)
• Rome - $3.65 (up 3 cents from last Monday)
• Syracuse - $3.59 (up 3 cents from last Monday)
• Watertown - $3.65 (up 3 cents from last Monday)

Gas prices are up across the state as summer road trip season heats up. AAA predicted that 70.9 million travelers would head 50 miles or more from home over the Independence Day holiday travel period. Many of those travelers were returning yesterday and today, and the majority were traveling by car. 60.6 million people were expected to take holiday road trips setting the pace for a busy summer travel season with high demand for gasoline.

While pump prices are up, oil prices remain steady from last week ranging from $82 to $86 per barrel.

Diesel prices are relatively steady. The national average price for diesel is $3.84, up four cents from last Monday. The New York average is $4.24, down one cent from last Monday.

To conserve fuel, motorists should map routes, avoid peak traffic times like rush hour, and combine errands into one trip while using cruise control when possible. Drivers should also make sure tire pressure is at the vehicle’s recommended level for the best gas mileage while removing any unnecessary and bulky items from the car since it takes more fuel to accelerate a heavy vehicle. Get more tips here: https://gasprices.aaa.com/news/fuel-saving-tips/. Motorists can benefit from comparing pump prices before filling up with the AAA Mobile App for iPhone, iPad, and Android.

AAA members receive discounts at gas stations such as Fastrac, Maple Leaf Market and Shell. Learn more here. AAA members can save on gas by joining the Fuel Rewards at Shell program. Join now at AAA.com/Shell. Motorists can also locate gas prices across the country and stay up-to-date on news and fuel-saving tips at http://gasprices.AAA.com.