Thanksgiving travel
Updated: November 26, 2012
CHAMPAIGN -- Gas prices are falling and holiday travelers are grabbing the car keys. Nationally it's dropped $.35 per gallon. That's just in the past month.
AAA estimates that number will continue to drop. Drivers say it's been smooth, with little to no stops along the way. It might be the cheaper option, but drivers say it's definitely not the easiest.
"We keep the peace by each child having their own device," traveler Jenni Watkins said.
When Watkins decided to hit the highway she knew she had to be prepared.
"They just keep busy by listening to music, reading and watching little videos on you tube," Watkins said.
She isn't alone. 43 million people are traveling this Thanksgiving. 90% of those will be behind the wheel.
"I'm super glad I don't have to cook. And my mother-in-law can do that for me," Watkins said.
It's a light at the end of the tunnel for a lot of traveling families.
"It's been really simple to get on the roads and traffic has been flowing really well."
They say nice weather and "doable" gas prices help. These people are on the other end of it all. Hundreds anxiously waiting for big sisters and nieces to come home. Bill Youngren's wife has been in Sweden for the past two months.
"She's been back home doing a little teaching, visiting family and friends. I've just been sitting in the apartment all by myself," Youngren said.
To him, all of the time and money that's spent on traveling is worth it to have his wife home safe and sound.
"She's psyched. She's ready to be home."
Even though most people are driving, airport and train officials say they've still been swamped and it hasn't hurt business.
AAA estimates that number will continue to drop. Drivers say it's been smooth, with little to no stops along the way. It might be the cheaper option, but drivers say it's definitely not the easiest.
"We keep the peace by each child having their own device," traveler Jenni Watkins said.
When Watkins decided to hit the highway she knew she had to be prepared.
"They just keep busy by listening to music, reading and watching little videos on you tube," Watkins said.
She isn't alone. 43 million people are traveling this Thanksgiving. 90% of those will be behind the wheel.
"I'm super glad I don't have to cook. And my mother-in-law can do that for me," Watkins said.
It's a light at the end of the tunnel for a lot of traveling families.
"It's been really simple to get on the roads and traffic has been flowing really well."
They say nice weather and "doable" gas prices help. These people are on the other end of it all. Hundreds anxiously waiting for big sisters and nieces to come home. Bill Youngren's wife has been in Sweden for the past two months.
"She's been back home doing a little teaching, visiting family and friends. I've just been sitting in the apartment all by myself," Youngren said.
To him, all of the time and money that's spent on traveling is worth it to have his wife home safe and sound.
"She's psyched. She's ready to be home."
Even though most people are driving, airport and train officials say they've still been swamped and it hasn't hurt business.
Comments
Where are you getting your information, I was out of town last week and as I returned I noticed gas prices in Illinois jumped $.40 as I crossed the state line. I arrived home last Friday and gas around town was $3.39 and since then has jumped another $.20. Your video on your newscast even showed the gas price at $3.49 when it was $3.59 almost everywhere earlier today. Do your viewers a favor and do an expose on the price fixing gas stations are doing in Champaign. For instance, the $.20 jump this week just before Thanksgiving when a great many people will be gassing up to leave town to visit relatives. Or how the price of gas consistently goes up $.20 overnight on Thursday before a home Illini game and then comes down on Monday after everyone leaves town. On a National level, how the price of gas jumps $.20 at the pump when the price of a barrel of oil goes up $.01, yet takes 2 weeks to come down if it goes down $.01. Note: a former Vice President of a big oil company was quoted last year saying that he didn't understand it as it takes 6-8 weeks for the crude oil to be processed and arrive at the pump as gasoline. Of course he was fired the next day. Do everyone a favor and do some investigative reporting on these issues.
David D.
November 21, 2012 at 10:16 pm
