Suckling at the pump

On the morning of January 16, the Escondido Vons gas station at 469 W. Felicita Avenue, at the corner of South Centre City Parkway, posted a price of $2.09/gallon for regular — a price far below that of any competitors. The station had dropped its price by five cents a gallon overnight.

By mid-morning, the word was out and all four lanes of the station were backed up into the grocery store’s parking lot and the station’s driveway on Felicity Avenue. At 12 noon, an arriving gasoline delivery truck had to wait for cars to clear before pulling into the station.

Four other stations in the county remained at the next lowest price at $2.17/gallon. All but one of the top ten lowest-priced San Diego County stations are in Escondido, with only a Costco in San Marcos competing with the nine Escondido stations.

Independently owned stations selling the major brand’s surplus gas have led to the dramatic lowering of gas prices around the county, and it has forced major brands to lower their pricing, too. Yet, two of Escondido’s lowest-priced stations include an Arco on East Valley Parkway and a 76 on North Escondido Boulevard, both major brands.

Anna, the manager of the Vons station, says they take two surveys a day of prices in the surrounding areas and adjust theirs accordingly.

This reporter, for prior Reader articles, has been tracking San Diego–area gas prices for several months. It would appear that gas should drop below $2.00/gallon in San Diego County by next weekend, January 24.

The highest priced gas in the county is still the Shell station on Del Mar Heights Road, just off of I-5, which has only lowered its price by 20 cents, down to $3.29/gallon, since being reported here on December 22.