Aaa Mid Atlantic

Gasoline prices fell by an average of one penny per gallon nationally and in the Philadelphia region overnight, AAA Mid-Atlantic said Tuesday. The Tuesday price at the pump in Southeastern Pennsylvania was $3.65 per gallon, the auto club said. It was $3.45 in South Jersey. The national average was $3.58.    - Reid Kanaley

WHETHER YOU ARE a motorist, rider of mass transit, or both, AAA Mid-Atlantic believes we must be concerned about the condition of all modes of transportation in Pennsylvania. Both transit and highway face critical funding shortfalls in two distinct categories of funding: capital monies to address capacity, safety and maintenance of our roads and bridges, and operating monies to fund mass transit. It would be short-sighted to divert highway capital monies to mass transit. As the voice of the motoring public for more than 100 years, AAA believes the Commonwealth needs to seriously look at the efficiency and effectiveness of all transportation spending in order to keep people safe and mobile.

Robert R. Rugel, 74, of Warwick, former president of AAA Mid-Atlantic, died Tuesday at his home of complications from lupus and leukemia. In 1954 Mr. Rugel joined the Keystone Automobile Club, now part of AAA Mid-Atlantic, as a touring counselor, assisting drivers with travel directions. By the 1970s, he had been promoted to director of operations. In 1980 he initiated a diagnostic service for drivers in Philadelphia that was described by one reporter as a "mechanical Mayo Clinic.

AAA Mid-Atlantic, one of the largest organizations serving motorists in the nation, will leave its Center City headquarters in 2005 and move to a new building in Wilmington, it said yesterday in an announcement with Delaware state officials. The departure will move about 350 corporate and administrative jobs from its headquarters building at 21st and Market Streets, which it plans to sell. AAA Mid-Atlantic is among the five largest of the 96 AAA "clubs" in the nation. Jobs that will move include executive, accounting, human resources, technology and marketing staff, including publication of its AAA World magazine.

About 10 percent of Philadelphia-area residents will hit the road — or the rails or the runways — for Memorial Day, according to projections by the auto club AAA Mid-Atlantic. About 404,000 residents of Philadelphia and the four Pennsylvania suburban counties are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the May 24-May 28 period. That is slightly higher — up 0.5 percent — than during the Memorial Day period last year, said Jenny Robinson, spokeswoman for AAA. An estimated 88 percent will drive.

More than 468,000 people from the Philadelphia area are expected to travel 50 miles or more away from home during the Thanksgiving weekend, AAA Mid-Atlantic said today in its annual holiday travel outlook report. That figure covering the five counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania is a 3.5 percent increase over last year, the report said. Nationwide, 42.5 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more away from home, a 4 percent increase over 2010. The Thanksgiving travel weekend extends from Wednesday, Nov. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 27. AAA Mid-Atlantic said 89 percent of the area's Thanksgiving travelers will go by car, 9 percent by air and 2 percent by train or bus. The average price of self-service regular gasoline in the Philadelphia 5-county region is $3.45 per gallon, about 45 cents more than one year ago but 60 cents less than the 2011 peak price of $4.05 set on May 5, the report said.

WILMINGTON, Del. - Gas prices aren't going down in Delaware as they often do over the Labor Day weekend. AAA Mid-Atlantic says Delaware's average gas prices is $3.59 per gallon, up 7 cents from last week. Delaware radio station WDEL-AM reports that's also up more than a dollar from last year. Pennsylvania and New Jersey have seen similar hikes. The national average on Friday was $3.65 per gallon, up 6 cents from last week and nearly a dollar from Labor Day weekend last year.

IN THE REGION AAA details area holiday travel About 10 percent of Philadelphia-area residents will hit the road — or the rails or the runways — for Memorial Day, according to projections by the auto club AAA Mid-Atlantic. About 404,000 residents of Philadelphia and the four Pennsylvania suburban counties are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the May 24-May 28 period. That is up 0.5 percent from the Memorial Day period last year, said Jenny Robinson, spokeswoman for AAA. An estimated 88 percent will drive.

About 10 percent of Philadelphia-area residents will hit the road — or the rails or the runways — for Memorial Day, according to projections by the auto club AAA Mid-Atlantic. About 404,000 residents of Philadelphia and the four Pennsylvania suburban counties are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the May 24-May 28 period. That is slightly higher — up 0.5 percent — than during the Memorial Day period last year, said Jenny Robinson, spokeswoman for AAA. An estimated 88 percent will drive.

With gasoline prices a little lower than a year ago, the auto club AAA is projecting 34.8 million Americans will take trips at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day weekend, an uptick of 1.2 percent — or 500,000 travelers — over last year's 34.3 million. But steadily increasing gas prices in early spring "significantly squeezed many household budgets," said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Jenny Robinson. People will still travel, but will stay closer to home, and spend less while there.

AAA Mid-Atlantic is offering $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of whoever is responsible for slashing tires on parked cars in the Mayfair and Tacony neighborhoods in recent weeks. Mayfair residents awoke Sunday morning to find that tires were slashed on three cars parked on Erdrick Street near Princeton Avenue. "We're concerned about this as a crime, and obviously we respond to all kinds of tire related incidents," said Jenny Robinson, an AAA spokeswoman. The company is funding the reward through the Citizens Crime Commission, and tipsters are asked to call 215-546-TIPS (8477)

People who need a new passport or a renewal might want to take advantage of "Passport Day in the USA" on Saturday, the U.S. State Department says. "This is the only day all year U.S. citizens may apply directly at a passport agency without making an appointment," according to the news release. Normally, the Philadelphia Passport Agency, the State Department's regional office at 200 Chestnut St., is only open weekdays for expedited applications. This Saturday, it will be open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., even for regular applications, which cost from $30 for a card renewal to $135 for a new passport book.

In the last week, gasoline prices have fallen by an average 5 cents per gallon in Southeastern Pennsylvania and by 6 cents in South Jersey, AAA Mid-Atlantic said Wednesday. At the start of the Thanksgiving travel marathon, prices at the pump in Philadelphia average $3.41 per gallon of regular. In South Jersey, the average is $3.17, the auto club said. While prices have been falling lately, the year-ago price in Southeastern Pennsylvania was just $3.03 a gallon, and in South Jersey it was $2.84, AAA said.

More than 468,000 people from the Philadelphia area are expected to travel 50 miles or more away from home during the Thanksgiving weekend, AAA Mid-Atlantic said today in its annual holiday travel outlook report. That figure covering the five counties in Southeastern Pennsylvania is a 3.5 percent increase over last year, the report said. Nationwide, 42.5 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more away from home, a 4 percent increase over 2010. The Thanksgiving travel weekend extends from Wednesday, Nov. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 27. AAA Mid-Atlantic said 89 percent of the area's Thanksgiving travelers will go by car, 9 percent by air and 2 percent by train or bus. The average price of self-service regular gasoline in the Philadelphia 5-county region is $3.45 per gallon, about 45 cents more than one year ago but 60 cents less than the 2011 peak price of $4.05 set on May 5, the report said.

Average gasoline prices rose by a penny a gallon over the weekend in South Jersey, but fell by a cent in Philadelphia, AAA Mid-Atlantic said Monday. The average for a gallon of regular in South Jersey rose to $3.24. In Southeastern Pennsylvania the price fell to $3.47, the auto club said. The national average was also down a penny, to $3.41. Meanwhile, crude oil prices were up Monday on hopes that Greece will adopt the spending reforms it needs for an international bailout package, the Associated Press reported.

As milestones go, putting teens behind the wheel is a biggie. That's why my recent column detailing the saga of getting Sturgis Kids 1.0 through 3.0 licensed to drive drew such a large response. That's why a bill awaiting Gov. Corbett's signature restricts the number of passengers for teens with junior driver's licenses, makes teens driving without seat belts a primary offense, and adds 15 hours to the current 50 hours of pretest driving training. With National Teen Driver Safety Week coming next week, I thought it was a good opportunity to share more resources available for teaching Your Kid 1.0 (or whichever version you may have in training)

People can't stand it when drivers are talk on cellphones or texting or e-mailing - that is, unless they're the ones doing it. In a recent survey, 95 percent of drivers agree that texting or e-mailing while driving is a recipe for danger, but 35 percent admitted that had engaged in those very same activities in the previous month. In addition, while 88 percent said talking on the cellphone while driving was hazardous, 65 percent admitted they had gabbed on the cell while behind he wheel in the previous month.