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American Morning

Lower Prices at Gas Pump Incentive for Travel by Car This Holiday

Aired November 20, 2001 - 07:53   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Nearly 90 percent of Americans traveling this Thanksgiving holiday are expected to go by car, and there is an incentive this year: lower prices at the gas pump.

And CNN's Jeff Flock joins us from Hammond, Indiana with more on gas prices and Americans on the road. How are you doing this morning, Jeff?

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Paula.

Yes, you know, the AAA in Chicago and motor clubs all across the country survey people about how they're going to travel on Thanksgiving; 87 percent this year, almost 90 percent, said they're going to travel by car. That's the highest percentage ever.

And here is one of the good reasons a lot of people are planning to. Take a look at regular here: $1.29.9 here at Hammond, Indiana. This is just over the border from Chicago. A lot of people come here, because the prices tend to be lower just over the border in Indiana, so good prices.

Let's take a look nationwide. It's hard to find bad prices anywhere nationwide. The overall national average in May was $1.85. It began falling, and then spiked back up in September after the events of the 11th, up to about $1.68 in September. But now, falling to $1.32 earlier in the month, and now right about the price that they're selling gas at this station here in Indiana today, $1.21.9 here. It's about $1.20, AAA tells us, nationwide.

And in terms of folks traveling, as we said, over the holiday, the largest percentage ever by car, at least planning to, and in places like Indiana with the prices like this, a lot of incentive to do that.

You might ask where else are prices high and low? Well, let's take a look at the highs. If you factor out Hawaii and Alaska, which typically have the high prices, the Continental U.S., the highest state: Washington; $1.46 a gallon; California, $1.42. And the low spots: Georgia, just a little over $1 a gallon, $103; South Carolina, Missouri and Okalahoma also low.

How low can you go? I guess we don't know yet, but as the sun rises here in Hammond, good news for folks that are driving -- Paula, back to you.

ZAHN: All right. Jeff, stand by, we want to get an update in the next hour to see if you're seeing any people taking to the roads this morning. It may be a little early, but it would be smart to beat the rush tomorrow -- thanks, Jeff.

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