Area motorists may be grumbling as they fill up at the pump for their Labor Day travels.

While gas prices are lower than they were a month ago, the cost for a gallon of unleaded fuel has climbed nearly six cents in parts of Butler County during the last week.

“(Gas) prices have been dropping in the last few weeks, but with Labor Day coming up, we have seen a bump in gas prices,” said Clay Ingram, public relations director at AAA of Alabama.

The state average for a gallon of gasoline is $3.34, which is four cents higher than it was a week ago, but is almost 24 cents less than it was at the same time last year.

In Greenville, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline is $3.36, which is six cents higher than it was last week.

Georgiana and McKenzie have also seen a rise in gasoline prices. The average cost in Georgiana is $3.37, up from $3.32, while the average cost in McKenzie is $3.35, up just a penny from last week.

Nationwide, according to GasBuddy.com, Alabama has the sixth lowest gas price average.

A study conducted by GasBuddy showed that the average American motorist needs to work just a little over nine minutes in order to pay for a gallon of regular gasoline these days, and that On Labor Day 2000, the U.S. average for unleaded regular was just $1.52 a gallon, or more than $2 a gallon lower than motorists face for the upcoming holiday.

But Ingram said while gasoline prices are on an upswing, cheaper gasoline can be found. He said he expects there to be plenty of stations that will be selling a gallon of gasoline in the $3.20 range this weekend.

“We just need to keep our eyes peeled for the cheaper gas stations,” he said.