BajaNomad

Tijuana Gas Stations Become Tourist Attractions

BajaNews - 5-12-2006 at 11:30 AM

http://www.10news.com/news/9188533/detail.html

May 11, 2006

TIJUANA, Mexico -- If you don't mind driving the streets of Tijuana and a little wait at the border, you probably won't mind saving some money.

Gas stations in Tijuana have lowered their prices.

"It's cheaper over here," said San Diegan Judy Mendez.

Mendez is from Point Loma. She and other Californians are taking advantage of the much lower gas prices south of the border.

Until recently, gas stations in Tijuana had to charge about the same as stations north of the border as mandated by a Mexican law.

It was put in place when gas was cheaper in the U.S. and gas stations in border towns such as Tijuana were losing money, but with the price headaches the law backfired.

"In the last five months, the price of gasoline rose here more than 35 percent. What it didn't rise in five years, it rose in five months," said Tijuana gas station owner Alejandro Borja.

Borja runs several gas stations in Tijuana.

He's happy prices came down and expects to see a few more Americans.

The law changed and prices came down after taxi drivers like Saul Casillas protested.

Casillas is grateful the government listened to them.

Now he and others are paying $2.53 a gallon.

In San Diego it's $3.47 a gallon.

If you have a 12 gallon gas tank, it's a savings of $10.68.

Borja said he expects to see at least a 5-percent increase at his gas stations from Americans who want to save a few bucks.