Latest news with #JimGarrity
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
Despite cloudy weather, Memorial Day weekend travel expected to hit record highs
This Memorial Day weekend, 45.1 million Americans are expected to travel, marking a record for the holiday. According to AAA, this surge in travel indicates a strong desire for leisure activities as people kick off the unofficial start to summer. Hot dog production ramps up ahead of Memorial Day weekend, summer season 'We expect the busiest days to be Friday and Monday,' said Jim Garrity, Director of Public Affairs at AAA East Central. 'People are mixing with commuters, and traffic will pick up as travelers return home.' Garrity noted that most travelers will be taking road trips, and he advises allowing extra time for travel, especially in cities and on major highways. Gas prices are around $3.29 per gallon, which is 40 to 50 cents cheaper than last year, providing some relief for drivers. John Oliver, President and CEO of VisitErie, highlighted the start of the region's most popular visitor season, with events like the Russian Festival kicking off this weekend. Despite cloudy skies, Oliver remains optimistic about visitor numbers, noting that local hotels expect steady bookings for Friday and Saturday. As Americans hit the roads and skies for Memorial Day, the travel industry is seeing a robust start to the summer season, with lower gas prices and a packed event calendar in regions like Erie. All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WJET/WFXP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WJET/WFXP staff before being published. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Record 45.1 million travelers expected for Memorial Day weekend
Americans will travel in record numbers this Memorial Day weekend, according to projections made by AAA. This year's domestic travel forecast of 45.1 million is an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year and would set a new Memorial Day weekend record. The previous record was set in 2005 with 44 million people. 'Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to the summer travel season and the perfect time to plan a getaway with family and friends,' Jim Garrity, AAA East Central director of public affairs, said. 'Long holiday weekends are great for travel because many people have an extra day off and kids are off from school.' AAA projects 39.4 million people will travel by car over the weekend. That's an additional one million travelers compared to last year. Driving is the preferred mode of transportation during holiday travel, with 87% of Memorial Day travelers choosing to take road trips. This year, drivers have the benefit of cheaper gas prices. Last Memorial Day, Valley gas prices averaged $3.73. This week the average is $3.19. Airports are bracing for another bustling holiday weekend. AAA projects 3.61 million air passengers, a nearly 2% increase over last year when 3.55 million travelers took to the skies. While this Memorial Day weekend isn't expected to set an air travel record — which was set back in 2005 with 3.64 million travelers — this year's numbers are projected to surpass pre-pandemic levels by 12%. AAA booking data indicates that most flights are to popular destinations like Chicago, New York, Orlando, Denver and Seattle. Meanwhile, domestic travel by air, since May 7, is now affected by the REAL ID Act, which says a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification is required to board commercial flights. This holiday weekend could see travel delays as people navigate the new ID requirements. Not traveling by car or plane? AAA also projects 2 million people will travel by train, bus or cruise this weekend, an 8.5% increase over last year. This category now surpasses pre-pandemic numbers from 2018 and 2019 but doesn't reach the record numbers of the early 2000s, when more people chose trains and buses after 9/11, AAA officials said.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
AAA says Memorial Day travel will break record, provides tips for travelers
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Memorial Day holiday is expected to break travel records, according to AAA. May 22 to May 26 is considered the holiday travel period for Memorial Day. The company projects 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the holiday period. That's a 3.1% increase from last year, and a 5.4% increase from 2019. This year's increase equates to nearly 1.4 million additional travelers. 'In Pennsylvania alone, a little over 1.2 million in this region. We could have a couple million people coming through. Especially folks are heading, you know, from the Pittsburgh area to the Philly area, from north to south. And it's exciting to see something like that because that means there's a lot of people who are ready to get out and make some good memories for Memorial Day,' Jim Garrity, Director of Public Affairs for AAA East Central, said. Proposed bill would revamp Pennsylvania's energy plan for the future As with previous years, most travelers are opting to hit the road and drive. According to AAA, it's actually the preferred mode of transportation during holiday travel periods, with 87% of Memorial Day travelers choosing to take road trips. 'Think about the last couple of Memorial Days and add more people. That's what we should expect on the roadways coming up. Which is why it's important that even if you're traveling locally, give yourself plenty of time. The worst case scenario, you give yourself an extra hour out the door. Worst case scenario is that you're going to get to your destination exactly when you wanted to. The best case scenario is that you get there a little early,' Garrity said. Date Worst Travel Time Best Travel Time Thursday, May 22 1:00 – 9:00 p.m. Before Noon Friday, May 23 12:00 PM – 8:00 p.m. Before 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 24 2:00 PM – 6:00 p.m. Before Noon Sunday, May 25 1:00 PM – 5:00 p.m. Before 1:00 p.m. (Memorial Day) Monday, May 26 4:00 PM – 7:00 p.m. Before 2:00 p.m. Drivers are also reminded of Pennsylvania's Move Over Law when there are disabled or emergency vehicles on the side of the road. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Things to keep in mind if you have Memorial Day travel plans
BRIDGEPORT, (WBOY) — Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, AAA is giving travelers advice ahead of their potentially long trips to and across north central West Virginia. According to AAA East Central, the region is expecting to see increased traffic on roads next Thursday and Friday (May 22-23), and Director of Public Affairs Jim Garrity stated that traffic will also pick up the following Sunday and Monday (May 25-26), as people begin making their way back home. 'If you're gonna be one of the more than 45 million people who are traveling for Memorial Day, it would [be] behoove of you to try to avoid some of that traffic,' said Garrity. 'Especially if you're going around any major metro area, any major city.' Garrity told 12 News that some of the main calls AAA East Central receives are for dead batteries, flat tires, as well as towing at the side of the road for sometimes preventable issues. With that being said, Garrity recommends getting your car looked at, adding that now's a good time of the year to address all of the damage that winter does to vehicles. He recommended getting salt from underneath your car, as well as getting your oil and car battery checked. 'Especially in this area, if your battery's older than two or three years, get your battery tested, get your oil checked, get your fluids topped off before you hit the road,' he added. According to Garrity, AAA is currently prepared to rescue a couple hundred thousand people nationwide over Memorial Day weekend. He also told 12 News that AAA is expecting to see a record amount of people hitting the roads this year. 'Get out early. Give yourself plenty of time because giving yourself that extra hour out the door–worst case scenario, you get to where you wanted to get exactly on time,' said Garrity. 'Best case scenario, you might get there a little early.' West Virginia Strawberry Festival 2025: Full schedule Garrity added that by allotting yourself that extra time, you're saving yourself from stress that could lead to dangerous choices on the road. He stated that this stress can lead to behaviors such as road rage, tailgating, speeding, obscene gestures on the road, etc. Travelers who are heading north towards Pittsburgh or heading south towards Charleston should expect to see increased traffic around Memorial Day. 'You could expect to see traffic the closer you get to where there's more people, but with a record amount of people heading out over the Memorial Day weekend, expect that you're gonna run into traffic no matter where you are so that you do give yourself that extra time,' Garrity stated. He added that even if you're traveling locally, there's still a good chance that you could run into traffic. 'There's gonna be a lot of people on the road […] Take the last couple Memorial Days, add more people,' said Garrity. 'That's what you can expect on the road, according to our AAA research.' For anyone who's planning to travel by car during Memorial Day weekend, it's recommended to pack items for everyone that's going to be in the car, taking into account anything they may need if you end up in the car for a long time. Garrity recommends bringing non-perishable food items, bottles of water, entertainment for children, phone chargers and your AAA card, as well as some mechanical items that can help get your car back on the road or to the nearest repair shop. Over Memorial Day weekend, Garrity added that there will be an influx of things like police, firefighters, EMS, construction workers and tow truck drivers. He stated that no matter where you are in America, it's important to be mindful of the Move Over law, adding that all 50 states have some version of it. 'They wanna go home to see their families and they wanna go home to celebrate Memorial Day with them,' Garrity added. He shared with 12 News that a good rule of thumb is when coming across someone working roadside or who's stranded, move over and if you can't, slow down at least. 'AAA research is crystal clear that speed can be the difference between life and death,' said Garrity. 'Way too often at AAA, we see preventable crashes where people die because maybe someone wasn't paying attention behind the wheel and they didn't move over when they should've.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Altoona AAA office celebrates reopening with ribbon cutting, giveaways
ALTOONA, Pa. (WTAJ) — After three months of renovations, the AAA Altoona branch office has reopened for customers. The company celebrated the reopening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday. In a press release, AAA said the newly renovated office will enable it to serve the area through its DMV services, travel agency and AAA-branded insurance products. Jim Garrity, the Director of Public Affairs for AAA East Central, said any renovation projects that the company undergoes are an investment. Pennsylvania natural gas company won't raise prices — for now 'In Altoona, it pays off because the folks of Altoona and us, we have … have a great relationship. It goes all the way back to the early 1900s. And we want everyone to know that we're here and we're open for business, and we're ready to see anyone who walks through our door or gives us a call,' Garrity said. AAA has served Altoona and its surrounding communities for more than a century. In 1906, the Automobile Club of Blair County had 31 members. The club currently has 13,000 members in Blair County. To celebrate the reopening, Altoona Mayor Matt Pacifico gifted the branch office with a proclamation from the city. 'We still have all those same services, travel services, DMV branch operations, insurance. You know, if you want to come in here for any of those things, this branch is open and it's remodeled and ready for the residents of Altoona,' Garrity said. From Thursday until Saturday, customers can stop by the branch office and register for the travel giveaways. The first prize is a $1,000 travel gift certificate, the second prize is two tickets to any Florida city served by Delta Airlines and the third prize is two pieces of high-quality, hard-shell luggage. The office is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
