FARGO,N.D. – (NewsDakota.com) – Drivers from the region are benefiting from falling pump prices ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The statewide average for a gallon of gasoline dropped 10 cents in both North Dakota and Minnesota over the past week. Today, the averages sit at $3.55 and $3.47 respectively. Nationally the average fell 11 cents to $3.66.

While averages are the lowest in nearly nine months – and well below record prices seen in June — motorists will pay the highest Thanksgiving gas price since AAA started keeping records in 2000.

“We can be thankful gas prices have fallen sharply since the record highs paid this past summer, but they still stand more than 30 cents higher than this time last year,” said Gene LaDoucer, regional director of public affairs for AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Looking ahead, if oil prices continue to slide, we should see prices continue to slide toward the $3 level over the next several weeks.”

Motorist in Texas are paying the lowest average price at $2.99. Metro areas in six other states are within a nickel of the $3 average.