Arkansas drivers are facing higher fuel costs this week, according to a new report from AAA. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in the state rose by three cents to $3.71 as of Thursday.
Among the state's metropolitan areas, drivers in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers region are paying the most, averaging $3.77 per gallon. Hot Springs drivers are seeing the lowest prices at $3.57, while motorists in Jonesboro are paying an average of $3.61 per gallon.
The rise in Arkansas fuel prices follows a similar trend nationally. After a brief decline to $4 per gallon earlier in the week, the national average price for regular gasoline climbed to $4.07. AAA attributed the increase to elevated crude oil prices, which have returned to the $80-per-barrel range, along with ongoing uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil transit route.
"While gasoline demand is down, crude oil prices are keeping pump prices higher than normal for this time of year," the AAA Arkansas Weekend Gas Watch stated. The report also noted that this year's August national average is the highest on record for the month.
AAA continues to monitor fuel prices and trends across the state and country.