Gas prices drop below $3 a gallon for first time in years

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- Consider it an early Christmas present: lower gas prices for drivers across the country.

For the first time in years, the national average for a gallon of regular gas has dipped below $3 per gallon.

The $2.99/gallon price displayed at a Wawa in Pennsauken was welcome news to long-distance drivers like Tamiko Carpenter.

"I did travel to Detroit, Michigan, to college, with my son," she said. "When you're traveling on the highway, it's important for the gas prices to be good. So I'm happy about the gas prices."

According to Gas Buddy, the national average for a gallon of regular gas dropped five cents to $2.90. They say that's more than seven cents lower than a year ago and more than 17 cents lower than a month ago.

AAA says it's the first time in four years that the national average has dipped below $3 a gallon, but Pennsylvania still ranks among the nation's top ten most expensive gasoline markets, according to AAA.

They say the price for a gallon of regular in Pennsylvania $3.14. New Jersey, though, stands at $2.93 per gallon. In Delaware, the average price for a gallon of regular gas is $2.89.

"Any costs that we have, regular costs, that aren't going up are going to help us out in the long run," said Joe Deangelis as he pulled up to the pump.

For Rodney Weaver, the lower gas prices are a literal blessing.

"It's amazing because I do a lot of traveling as a pastor, I do a lot of traveling as a hospice chaplain - going from house to house, from patient to patient. It means a lot for me to not spend as much in gas so I can do the ministry I'm supposed to do," he said.

Gas Buddy says Oil Market dynamics and other factors could be responsible for the price drop. Drivers say, whatever caused it, they just hope it continues.

"We just hope that these are here to stay, and not short-lived lived and we're gonna pay for it later," said Deangelis.

Though New Jersey is seeing some lower gas prices, it's still on the higher end when it comes to charging electric vehicles. AAA ranks it among the nation's top ten most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour.