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Lower Fuel Costs And Pletiful Travel Bargains to Spur Slight Rebound In Memorial Day Road Trips, Says AAA
(posted by Public Affairs on May 12 @ 11:00 )

New England Forecasted to lead Nation in Increase Over Last Year

The number of Americans planning to travel on vacation this Memorial Day holiday weekend will increase 1.5 percent from 2008 with approximately 32.4 million travelers taking a trip of 50 miles or more away from home, according to AAA Southern New England.
When comparing the projected number of travelers in 2009 with those who traveled in 2008, the six-state New England region shows the highest percentage increases of any region in the country when it comes to total travel and travel specifically by motor vehicle, AAA says.
“Last year, soaring gas prices and a deteriorating economy resulted in far fewer trips being taken than had been forecasted,” said Lloyd P. Albert, AAA Southern New England Senior Vice President of Public & Government Affairs. “The good news is lower gasoline prices and plentiful travel bargains have Americans feeling better about taking a road trip this summer which should help tourism-based economic activity throughout our nation.” Approximately one in seven Americans is employed directly or indirectly by the hospitality and travel industry.
Trips by auto will be the beneficiary of Americans’ wanderlust with 27 million people – or nearly 83 percent of all travelers – planning a road trip. This is an increase from last Memorial Day when 26.3 million travelers paid among the highest fuel prices on record to travel by motor vehicle. This summer AAA does not expect the price of gasoline to average more than $2.50 per gallon nationwide.
In contrast to increases in trips by car, AAA projects that trips by air will decline one percent, with about 2.1 million Americans flying, accounting for seven percent of total travelers. The remaining 10 percent will travel by other modes, including rail, buses and watercraft.
The average distance traveled by Americans nationwide this Memorial Day is forecast to be 620 miles, 390 miles for those from New England. Average spending is expected to be just over $1,000.
Compared to last year, total travel by New Englanders is expected to be up 7.2 percent over last year, with an 8.5 percent increase over last year for those traveling by car, the largest percentage increases in the country. The availability of a wide variety of destinations New England travelers can reach within a short drive is likely fueling the increased regional travel, Mr. Albert said.
According to AAA’s Leisure Travel Index, air fares over the Memorial Day holiday weekend are expected to decrease four percent from last year as air passengers will pay an average of $176. Car rental rates will also see a decline, with consumers paying an average of $43 per day compared to $45 a year ago. Hotel rates for AAA Three Diamond lodgings are expected to be 12 percent less than last year with travelers spending an average of $142 per night. Travelers planning to stay at AAA Two Diamond hotels will pay an average of $104 per night, seven percent less than a year ago.

AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 34 offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services.


AAA Saddles Up For April 25 ~ Great Battery Roundup
(posted by Public Affairs on April 21 @ 13:48 )
While many motorists are aware of the need to keep their vehicles maintained to help prevent air pollution, AAA clubs nationwide are using the occasion of Earth Day in April to increase proper handling and disposal of vehicle maintenance products, especially lead-acid automotive batteries.
AAA Southern New England will be holding the 2009 Great Battery Roundup on Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m.-Noon at selected locations (Complete list attached).
The AAA Great Battery Roundup is designed to encourage the public to locate stray automotive or marine lead-acid batteries and bring them to a collection point where they can be safely picked up and shipped to a recycling center and formed into new batteries. Last year, AAA collected more than 1,500 batteries, and will again donate $2.00 to an environmentally or conservation-minded organization for every battery turned in. AAA will also provide free battery testing service to those who want their existing battery checked.
“The impact of vehicle maintenance on the environment can be an overlooked aspect of responsible vehicle ownership,” said John Nardolillo, AAA Southern New England Vice President of Automotive Services. “With an estimated 230 million vehicles on the road in North America, the proper use and disposal of batteries, tires and various types of automotive fluids are crucial to a more healthy environment.”
Used vehicle batteries containing both lead and sulfuric acid are a toxic danger to humans and the environment – as well as a potentially dangerous fire and safety hazard.
Nearly 99 percent of a vehicle battery can be recycled and used again without removing new lead, or other natural resources from the environment. Unfortunately, some five million batteries are not returned for recycling each year. Many of these batteries are illegally disposed of in landfills and water sources, but many more are simply sitting in a forgotten corner of someone’s property where they could contaminate soil and groundwater, explode in a fire, or become a source of lead poisoning to humans and animals.
AAA recommends that consumers wear gloves and safety glasses when handling batteries, keep them upright and place batteries in a cardboard box or plastic container when transporting them for recycling. If the battery case is cracked or leaking, be especially careful to choose a leak-proof container. Do not smoke near or expose batteries to an open flame, and make certain they will not shift and tip over in a moving vehicle.
For more information on AAA’s environmental positions and activities, please visit the Public Affairs section of AAA.com and click on “AAA and the Environment.”

AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 34 offices in Rhode Island and eastern and central Massachusetts, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services.
AAA GREAT BATTERY ROUNDUP
Saturday, April 25 9 a.m.-Noon
Battery Drop-Off Locations
Massachusetts AAA Branch Offices Rhode Island AAA Branch Offices
Great Barrington
67 State Road AAA Providence Headquarters
110 Royal Little Dr
Leominster
20 Commercial Rd Ste 1 Cranston
1035 Reservoir Ave
South Attleboro Auto Center
397 Washington St East Providence Auto Center
987 Warren Ave
Worcester
25 Mountain St East

Massachusetts AAA Affiliated Facilities
Abington, Abington Sunoco
907 Bedford Street Lenox, Hoff Exxon
90 Main Street
Bedford, Riggio's Auto Repair
180 Great Road Marshfield, Marshfield Tire
497 Plain Street
Bellingham, Bellingham Parts Plus, Inc
709 South Main Street Milford, Granite Gulf
97 Cedar Street
Brockton, George's Service
74 Warren Ave North Adams, Mohawk Auto
1519 South State Road
Brockton, Mag's Towing
20 Terminal Lane Plymouth, Mayflower Service
164 South Street
Everett, Mel's Automotive
80 Tremont Street Pocasset, Diamond Collision
54 Portside Drive
Fall River, Dave's Tire
325 Bedford Street Salem, Bill's Auto Clinic
2 Commercial Street
Framingham, Henry's Towing Service
55 Pearl Street South Dennis, Rt. 134 Auto Care
3 Market Place
Gloucester, Tally's Truck Center
2 Washington Street Walpole, Assured Collision, Inc
440 West Street
Halifax, RG Automotive
925 Plymouth Street Watertown, Arto's Service Station
411 Main Street
Hudson, Parente's Service Center
28 Washington Street West Peabody, Gaeta's Towing
14 Newbury Street
Ipswich, Skillman Services
20 South Main Street

Rhode Island AAA Affiliated Facilities
Newport, Newport Tire
154 Connell Highway North Kingstown, Mulzer's Car Care
591 Boston Neck Road


AAA Pays Tribute To Fallen Tow Truck Drivers, Marks Passage of Slow Down Move Over Law
(posted by Public Affairs on February 18 @ 07:58 )
On Friday, February 20, AAA Southern New England will present special citations to the families and the employer of two young tow truck drivers who died during a road service call exactly five years ago, February 20, 2004.
Timothy Kelly, 23, and Jarrod Drew, 24, were killed when they were struck by a speeding motorist on Route 495 in Norton, Massachusetts. Both were employees of A1 Affordable, an independent contractor for AAA. Friday’s brief ceremony will be held at A1 Affordable’s West Bridgewater location.
The event coincides with the passage of new “Slow Down, Move Over” laws in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, which aim to protect first responders—police, firefighters, emergency workers, and tow truck drivers—who are providing roadside assistance. The law aims to literally provide a wider margin of safety, requiring drivers to move over to the next adjacent lane or reduce their speed when approaching an emergency assistance situation.
AAA Southern New England joined forces with Massachusetts and Rhode Island State Police to lobby on behalf of “Slow Down, Move Over.” The new law goes into effect March 22 in Massachusetts, and took effect last August 1st in Rhode Island.
At the time of the accident, AAA Southern New England pledged to A1 Affordable that it would work for passage of “Slow Down, Move Over” in Massachusetts. Enactment of this important measure is a tribute to the memory of Timothy Kelly and Jarrod Drew.
EVENT: Presentation of legislative citations to A1 Affordable and the families of Timothy Kelly and Jarrod Drew

LOCATION: A1 Affordable, 600 North Main Street, West Bridgewater, MA

TIME: 11am, Friday, February 20

AAA Southern New England is a not-for-profit auto club with 34 offices in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, auto-related services.


D.C. Hotels, Rooms Scare In Wake of Obama Inauguration, Says AAA
(posted by Public Affairs on January 27 @ 13:45 )
If you think tickets for the upcoming Presidential Inauguration are scarce; try booking a hotel in Washington D.C. this month, says AAA Connecticut Motor Club
As many as 5 million people are expected to attend the inaugural activities of President-elect Barack Obama, our na-tion’s 44th President and first African-American to be elected. The crowd is expected to be four times larger than any previ-ous event held in Washington, D.C.
An informal survey of Connecticut Motor Club’s travel agents indicates they’ve received nearly 100 calls since November from citizens interested in attending the inauguration. However, because of the enormity of the event, available hotels, motels and inns in the immediate Washington DC are now scarce. Although there may be last-minute cancellations where people may be able to book accommodations, it’s more than likely that rooms of any kind will be expensive. Accord-ing to club travel agents, “reasonably priced” hotels that are still available are about 75 – 100 miles away from the nation’s capitol. Washington D.C.-area prices range anywhere from $500 a night to several thousand dollars with a three- to four-night minimum stay plus prepayment.
Connecticut Motor Club travel agents are willing to assist members in looking for and booking accommodations. However, people may want to do their own research via www.aaamaps.com, in and around Washington D.C. Other popular sources for accommodations, agents have learned, are EBay and Craig’s List.
If you’re among the die-hard who plan to visit Washington to participate in the inaugural festivities, AAA Connecticut Motor Club provides the following tips:
Be prepared for strict security checks. The FBI has deemed the Inauguration as a “special national security event.” Anyone attending Mall events will go through security scanning devices. Items such as small chairs, cookers, large bags and other items most likely will be barred from Mall grounds.
Be wary of sources ‘selling’ tickets. Tickets to witness the inauguration ceremony are free through your U.S. Senator and congressional representative. However, according to reports, requests have exceeded the 240,000 available tickets. AAA recommends people not purchase tickets since they’ll be bogus. Tickets aren’t required for the parade route and it’s strongly recommended you arrive well in advance to secure a spot. The ticketed bleacher seats along the route are usually held for invited guests.
Leave the car home. Driving isn’t recommended because of potential major street closings in every direction on the day of the event. There will be very limited public parking near the main observation areas.
Expect packed buses and trains before, during and after the festivities. Although local bus routes may be sig-nificantly altered, there will be access to areas around the parade route via Metrorail and Metrobus. Your best bet, however, is to check bus and Metrorail route operations ahead of time. Some Metrorail stations will be closed; and those that remain open will operate increased “rush hour” from 4 a.m. – 7 p.m.

The Connecticut Motor Club, a AAA affiliate, provides comprehensive travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services to more than 500,000 members in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven Counties. Our website is www.aaact.com.

AAA Offers Battery-Saving Products To Keep You On the Go Failed Batteries Don't Have To Be A Drain, Says AAA
(posted by Public Affairs on January 27 @ 13:44 )
You’ve stored your Harley or JetSki for the winter; or you’re a snowbird, who leaves your car garaged while you winter in Florida. And when the first warm day of spring envelopes the region, you can’t wait to take your motorcycle, personal watercraft, or vehicle out of storage. But the question is will any of them start after six months of winter storage? Will any of those batteries fail because of New England’s cold, snowy winter?
To ensure that the lead – acid batteries in your stored vehicles remain fully charged during the winter, AAA Connecticut Motor Club now offers a new line of battery-saving devices in its eight Travel Stores.
The AAA Battery Tender® Plus and AAA Battery Tender® Junior are manufactured by Deltran Battery Tender® Corporation and now distributed by AAA clubs nationwide. The devices are designed to elimi-nate battery failure on a wide variety of lead-acid car, boat and motorcycle batteries by maintaining and keeping fully charged while in storage. The devices can be extremely useful to owners of motorcycles, RVs, ATVs, golf carts, boats, collectible cars and other vehicles that are stored and used seasonally. The AAA Battery Tenders use a technologically advanced charging and maintenance system with a quick-connect feature and BTP microprocessor programming.
Battery tenders are available from through Connecticut Motor Clubs eight branches in Branford, Hamden, Orange, Stratford, Waterbury, Danbury, Stamford and Westport. The AAA Battery Tender® Junior retails for $39.95 but Connecticut Motor Club members are offered a discounted price of $29.95. The AAA Bat-tery Tender® Plus is $64.95 with a member price of $49.95.
Battery Tender® products are designed and manufactured by Deltran, a 43-year-old family-owned com-pany specializing in microprocessor-controlled battery charging systems. Additional product and com-pany information can be found online at www.batterytender.com.
The Connecticut Motor Club, a division of AAA Southern New England, Providence, provides com-prehensive travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services to more than 500,000 members in Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven Counties. Our website is www.aaact.com.


2001 AAA Southern New England