The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in the Inland Empire fell two-tenths of a cent today to $2.986, a day after falling eight-tenths of a cent.

The average price in Riverside and San Bernardino counties is 2 cents less than a week ago and 5.2 cents less than a month ago, but 35.8 cents more than at this time last year and $1.184 more than at the start of the year, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

``This time last year, gas prices were in a continued free fall just after the election,'' Jeffrey Spring of the Automobile Club of Southern California said.

``From almost half of this year, Southern Californians have been paying gas prices that have stayed within 20 cents of $3 a gallon -- either above or below. It seems unlikely that we'll see a significant price drop outside of that range for the rest of the year,'' Spring said.