Florida drivers are paying less at the pump, with gas prices falling below the $4-a-gallon mark for the first time in weeks as summer travel season ramps up.

The statewide average stood at $3.65 per gallon as of Sunday, down from roughly $3.96 the previous week, according to AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins. The decline marks a sharp drop from the national average of about $4.52 per gallon recorded around Memorial Day weekend, roughly a month earlier.

Jenkins said the fuel market has seen significant volatility in recent months, driven in part by global events. He cautioned that prices could shift again on short notice.

“Right now, things are looking very optimistic, and prices are moving lower. But a lot can change on a weekly basis,” Jenkins said, adding that drivers should “plan for the worst but hope for the best.”

The price drop is providing relief for small business owners whose operations depend heavily on fuel. James Maltby, owner of Maltby’s Tree Service and Landscaping in the Orlando area, said fuel is one of his largest monthly expenses, citing costs for trucks, chippers, grinders and smaller equipment like chainsaws.

Maltby said he spends an average of $6,000 a month on fuel. With hurricane season underway — typically his busiest stretch as homeowners schedule tree trimming and yard work — he said higher fuel costs had previously cut into his company’s profit margins. Lower prices now give him room to reinvest in the business, he said.

The timing coincides with the run-up to the Fourth of July holiday. AAA projects more than 72 million Americans will travel during the holiday period, according to the organization’s national forecast.

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