Small gas station in Northern California coastal town likely highest pump price in U.S.

LOS ANGELES: MARCH. 10 – Schlafer’s Auto Body & Repair, the sole gas station in the U.S. seaside town of Mendocino, made headlines on Wednesday for having the highest price of unleaded or regular gasoline in the country.

The picture posted Tuesday by resident Galen Bach showed that customers must pay 8.45 U.S. dollars for a gallon of the cheapest unleaded or regular gasoline, nearly double the national average of 4.25 dollars, and 42 percent more expensive than the average in California on the same day.

Reporters at Mendofever.com then checked with Patrick De Haan, head of GasBuddy.com’s petroleum analysis team, who confirmed that his team reviewed records of gas prices across the nation and couldn’t find a higher price anywhere else.

Last summer, a four-pump Chevron station made national news for officially being the most expensive fuel in the country, charging 6.73 dollars for a gallon of gas.

Judith Schlafer, the gas station’s owner, was quoted by Mendofever.com as saying that the price had to be that way, otherwise she would be out of business.

Galen Bach, the owner of Coastline Chimney Service, also told Mendofever.com that he had to raise his service prices because of higher costs for parts, gas, and general living expenses. He said he recently bought six bags of groceries and paid 455 dollars.

According to data from the American Automobile Association, California’s North Coast is home to one of the most expensive gasoline markets. But on Wednesday, Mendocino County had inexpensive gas by California standards: an average of 5.43 dollars, the association said.

California’s average gas price crept above 5 dollars per gallon on Monday for the first time in history. De Haan told SFGate that an average gallon of gas in California costs 6 dollars, and a growing number of gas stations charged 8 dollars or more.

-Xinhua