Record number of travelers to hit U.S. roads for July 4 weekend -AAA
(Reuters) – A document 42 million individuals round the USA are anticipated to hit the street for journeys over the July 4 Independence Day weekend, AAA mentioned Tuesday, absorbing traditionally excessive gasoline prices to crowd the highways.
The typical U.S. retail value of gasoline not too long ago broke via $5 per gallon for the primary time in historical past. Whereas that’s not a document from an inflation-adjusted foundation, it nonetheless represents a rise of practically $2 per gallon from a yr earlier. Regardless of the upper price, gasoline demand is just one% under the common for this time of yr in the USA.
The 42 million determine, ought to it pan out, would surpass 2019’s peak, when 41.5 million individuals traveled by automobile on Independence Day, in line with the American Car Affiliation.
Together with air journey, 47.9 million persons are anticipated to journey 50 miles or extra from house through the vacation interval, simply 2% lower than 2019’s 49 million, however surpassing 2021’s ranges, the journey membership group mentioned.
“The amount of vacationers we count on to see over Independence Day is a particular signal that summer time journey is kicking into excessive gear,” mentioned Paula Twidale, senior vp of AAA Journey. “Earlier this yr, we began seeing the demand for journey enhance and it’s not truly fizzling out.”
Via April, cumulative automobile miles traveled for 2022 totals 1.017 trillion automobile miles, a price that trails solely 2019 and 2018 when it comes to tempo, in line with the U.S. Division of Transportation.
(Reporting By David Gaffen; Enhancing by David Gregorio)
