Community Corner

AAA Projects Over a Million NJ Travelers For Thanksgiving

Travel by train, bus or boat is expected to increase while gas prices have decreased to their lowest since 2010.

While there will be a slight decrease in the number of people travelling across the nation for Thanksgiving this year, AAA New Jersey Automobile Club projects more than one million state residents will travel 50 miles or more between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1.

That number remains relatively unchanged from last year, according to AAA.

“While the economy continues to improve, the sluggish pace of the recovery is creating uncertainty in the minds of some consumers, and therefore AAA is projecting a slight decline in the number Thanksgiving travelers this year,” Assistant Manager of Public Affairs, AAA New Jersey Automobile Club Shani Jarvis said. “For those traveling by car, the good news is that you’ll receive a holiday bonus in the form of lower gas prices, which are at their lowest levels for the holiday since 2010.”

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The average price of gas in New Jersey is $3.18. Last year, the average price was $3.53 and in 2011, it was $3.22. In 2010, it was $2.86.

AAA projects 994,557 state residents will travel by car and 90,227 will travel by air during the holiday weekend.

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While the number for car travel represents a decrease of just over 1 percent, air travel will take a 4.9 percent decrease in the state from last year, and a 3.7 percent decrease nationally.

Travel by train, bus or watercraft will see an increase both in the state and nationally. AAA projects 28,638 state residents will use this form of travel, which represents a 7.7 percent increase from last year. Nationally, the increase is nearly 10 percent, at 9.5 percent.

“The primary focus of Thanksgiving, more so than any other holiday, is to celebrate with friends, family and loved ones,” Jarvis said. “Travelers attempting to carve out a travel budget will be happy to know that Thanksgiving will be the least expensive holiday of the year.”



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