Truckers working during the upcoming long holiday weekend ought to be prepared to share the road with an increased number of trvelers.
AAA projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home -- most of them driving -- over the Memorial Day holiday period from Thursday, May 22 to Monday, May 26.
This year’s domestic travel forecast is an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record. The previous record was set back in 2005 with 44 million people.
Despite concerns over rising prices, many Americans say they’re taking advantage of the long holiday weekend to spend time with loved ones, even if the trips are closer to home.
“Memorial Day weekend getaways don’t have to be extravagant and costly,” said Stacey Barber, Vice President of AAA Travel. “While some travelers embark on dream vacations and fly hundreds of miles across the country, many families just pack up the car and drive to the beach or take a road trip to visit friends. Long holiday weekends are ideal for travel because many people have an extra day off work and students are off from school.”
AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend. That’s an additional one million travelers compared to last year.
Driving is the preferred mode of transportation during holiday travel periods, with 87% of Memorial Day travelers choosing to take road trips.
This year, drivers have the benefit of cheaper gas prices. Last Memorial Day, the national average for a gallon of regular was $3.59. This spring – thanks to lower crude oil prices – gasoline prices haven’t seen typical seasonal spikes.
With the unofficial start of summer kicking off the busy driving season, demand is expected to rise, and pump prices may creep up along with it. Gas prices typically peak in the summer and start coming down when schools go back in session in the fall.
