Prices ease for L.A. Drivers

Gas prices are slipping for drivers in Los Angeles, and may fall further:

Prices should fall to an average of about $2.40 for a gallon of regular within the next couple of weeks, said Andre van der Valk, president of Auto-Cal, the association of Southern California service stations.

The price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the Los Angeles market hit a record high of $2.63 on April 13. Since then, prices dropped about two cents or three cents but have held steady at virtually the same level.

In contrast, the national average for a gallon of regular dropped from $2.28 on April 11 to $2.22 on Thursday.

One reason California has yet to see similar relief is that prices here peaked later than the national average.

Now prices are poised to start easing statewide within the next several weeks, said Rob Schlichting, spokesman for the California Energy Commission.