While most travel agents are not likely booking drive vacations, it's interesting to note that AAA is reporting rising gas prices are causing the development of a new road-traveling pattern. Visits to AAA's popular Fuel Finder web site (available on local AAA club web sites)—which allows travelers to find gas stations selling low cost fuel—jumped nearly 168 percent in the past year. During the same period the average price of fuel rose from $2.16 per gallon to $2.91. In addition, AAA's Fuel Cost Calculator website [www.fuelcostcalculator.com] usage has steadily increased as Americans made final preparations for their summer vacations. Usage of the Fuel Cost Calculator rose from 43,250 visits in January 2006 to 748,829 visits in May 2006. The Fuel Cost Calculator uses current gasoline prices from AAA's Fuel Gauge Report and latest highway fuel economy ratings to estimate the amount and cost of gasoline needed to complete a trip based on the make and model of the car.
