BILLINGS- If you and your family will be hitting the highways this week, this is perhaps the most important question: Is your vehicle ready?
This busy holiday travel week, AAA Montana anticipates emergency crews will respond to more than 600 calls for help on Montana roadways.
From flat tires to dead batteries to being locked out of your vehicle, tow truck drivers are prepared to help hundreds of motorists as they adventure out for the Thanksgiving holiday.
As with most things, timing is everything – and those with AAA suggest that now is the time to ensure your vehicle is ‘road trip’ ready by checking the oil, the battery and, perhaps most importantly, your tires.
AAA expects a 5% increase in travel over last year his year.
Here’s how they break it down:
- There will be more people choosing to fly than drive – with nearly 4. 3 million travelers taking a flight that many booked in September.
- Car rental costs have dropped, with many travelers paying 10% less this year than in previous years.
- And holiday hotel prices are also on the decline – with folks spending roughly $166 per night, down % from a year ago.
- But here’s the news you’ll really like hearing if you are traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday: gas prices are going to be cheaper this week than this time last year.
The national average has dropped by a 24.1¢ per gallon ratio during the last month which aligns with Montana’s state average of gas prices, which also sits at $2.89 a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.
All of those prices are down from last week’s average.
-Andrea Lutz reporting for MTN News
