Staff report and press release
news@wbcowqel.com

Motorists can be forgiven if they feel like they are on a roller coaster ride every time they pull into a gas station for a fill-up. Right now prices are on an enjoyable downhill portion of the track.

Just a couple of weeks ago prices in the area were as high as the $2.80 for a gallon of regular grade gas. Monday morning prices were as low as $1.90 in Bucyrus and $2.04 in Galion.

The drop is just in time for the July 4 weekend during which AAA is forecasting a record number of travelers to be on the highways.

AAA expects nearly 43 million Americans, including nearly 1.8 million Ohioans, to travel at least 50 miles from home this Independence Day weekend, Thursday, June 30 to Monday, July 4. This marks the highest Fourth of July travel volume on record, and is an increase of 1.3 percent nationally and 2.3 percent in Ohio from last year.

Gas Prices Continue to Drive Travel:
Lower gas prices, higher consumer confidence and rising economic activity are offsetting a recent cooling of the labor market to help boost holiday travel.

AAA anticipates most drivers will pay the lowest Independence Day gas prices since 2005. On average, U.S. drivers have saved about $20 billion on gasoline so far this year, compared with the same period in 2015. This has made travel more affordable than in recent years.

While Ohio gas prices spiked during June to some of the highest in the country, the spike was relatively short-lived and is not expected to impact holiday travel numbers. Last year Ohio’s Independence Day gas prices averaged $2.72 a gallon. In 2014, Ohio gas prices averaged $3.59 a gallon on the holiday.

Fourth of July is typically the busiest summer travel holiday, since school is out and many families take their big summer trip during this time.

Modes of Travel:
• Auto Travel: About 84 percent of American travelers (more than 36 million people) and about 88 percent of Ohio travelers (nearly 1.6 million people) will drive to their destinations this Independence Day. During the five-day holiday period, AAA expects to assist more than 370,000 motorists with dead batteries, flat tires, lockouts and tows.

• Air Travel: AAA predicts a seventh consecutive year of air travel growth, with more than 3.3 million Americans (nearly 79,000 Ohioans) flying this holiday. This is 2.2 percent higher (1.1 percent in Ohio) than last year. According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, average airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes will be 9 percent less this Independence Day, with a roundtrip ticket costing $207.

• Other Modes: Travel by other modes of transportation, including cruises, trains and buses will increase 2 percent (2.1 percent in Ohio) to nearly 3.3 million travelers (about 139,000 Ohioans). Most of those travelers are expected to fill cruise cabins as AAA’s holiday cruise bookings are 35 percent higher than last Independence Day.

Holiday Travel Expenses:
Hotel costs have fallen slightly compared to last Independence Day. AAA Three Diamond Rated hotels will average $185 per night, while AAA Two Diamond Rated hotels will average $144 per night. Car rental rates have risen 6 percent to an average $75 per day over the holiday weekend.

Charging Up for a Holiday Road Trip:
Those traveling in an electric vehicle (EV) this Independence Day will now find more places to charge their vehicle in Central Ohio. AAA has partnered with Nissan’s nrg EVgo program to host EV charging stations at five central Ohio AAA locations. The chargers are all extremely fast, generation 3 charging stations, which means they can completely charge a vehicle in as little as 20 minutes. For more information visit AAA.com/EVCharge.

Holiday Forecast Methodology:
AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. The Colorado-based business information provider teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA/IHS Global Insight 2016 Independence Day Holiday Travel Forecast can be found at Newsroom.AAA.com.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 56 million members with travel-, insurance-, financial- and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited online at AAA.com.