OFFICIALS SAY THAT YOU CAN
EXPECT MORE DELAYS AND
CANCELLATIONS.
AS MILLIONS HIT THE ROAD FOR THE
START OF THE BUSY TRAVEL SEASON,
OVERNIGHT, THOUSANDS OF
COMMUTERS LEFT STRANDED ALONG
THE EAST COAST AFTER A POWER
OUTAGE.
>> WE JUST WANT TO GET OUT OF
HERE.
WE’RE DONE.
WE’RE TOAST.
>> Reporter: THE DISRUPTION
CAUSED BY DOWNED POWER CABLES
LEAVING TRAVELERS WAITING FOR
HOURS ALONG THE BUSY NORTHEAST
AMTRAK CORRIDOR, FROM NEW YORK
CITY, ALL THE WAY TO WASHINGTON.
IT COMES AMID THE OFFICIAL
KICKOFF TO SUMMER.
AND WITH THAT COMES LONG LINES
AT AIRPORTS AND BUMPER-TO-BUMPER
TRAFFIC ON THE ROADS.
>> I COME FROM SAVANNAH, 25
MILES OUT OF MACON, DEAD STOP,
BUMPER-TO-BUMPER.
>> Reporter: THIS YEAR, AAA SAYS
ROAD TRIPPING IS HOW AMERICANS
ARE CHOOSING TO TRAVEL, WITH A
POTENTIAL RECORD-BREAKING 38.4
MILLION EXPECTED TO HIT THE
ROADS ON THURSDAY OR FRIDAY.
>> IN TERMS OF ROAD TRIPS, THOSE
ARE REALLY BOOMING.
AND THAT GIVES PEOPLE JUST MORE
FLEXIBILITY.
>> THE NATIONAL GAS PRICE
AVERAGE IS AT $3.61, ABOUT THE
SAME AS WHERE IT WAS THIS TIME
LAST YEAR, AND A PRICE POINT
MANY TRAVELERS SAY IS REASONABLE
IF THEY WANT TO HEAD OUT OF
TOWN.
THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
ANNOUNCING THIS WEEK IT WOULD
RELEASE A MILLION BARRELS OF GAS
FROM A RESERVE TO DRIVE THOSE
PRICES DOWN EVEN FURTHER, BUT
IT’S UNLIKELY TO MAKE A BIG
DIFFERENCE THIS WEEKEND.
>> IT GOES UP, IT COMES DOWN,
IT’S NOT A FACTOR FOR US.
>> NOT OUTRAGEOUS-OUTRAGEOUS,
BUT DEFINITELY NOTICEABLY
HIGHER.
>> Reporter: IF YOU DO PLAN TO
TRAVEL BY CAR, EXPERTS SAY THE
BEST TIME TO DO IT IS EARLY ON
THURSDAY OR FRIDAY, AND TRY TO
AVOID RETURNING HOME ON SUNDAY
OR MONDAY DURING AFTERNOON
HOURS.
AND IT’S NOT JUST THE ROADS THAT
ARE EXPECTED TO SEE A SPIKE IN
TRAVELERS.
AIRPORTS ARE ALSO BRACING FOR AN
INFLUX OF PASSENGERS, EVEN AS
SOME AIRLINES ARE CUT BACK ON
FUTURE FLIGHT SCHEDULES, CITING
PRODUCTION DELAYS FROM BOEING,
AS IT’S FACED INTENSE SCRUTINY
FOR SAFETY CONCERNS IN RECENT
MONTHS.
SOME 3.5 MILLION AMERICANS ARE
STILL OPTING OF FLY THIS HOLIDAY
WEEKEND.
>> MEMORIAL DAY IS REALLY THE
KICKOFF TO THE SUMMER TRAVEL
SEASON.
>> Reporter: A LITTLE BIT OF
GOOD NEWS FROM AMTRAK THIS
MORNING.
THEY ARE SAYING THAT ALL SERVICE