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More Spent for
Travel, Car Upkeep
To Rappahannock County families who will be spending their vacations this summer by taking automobile trips to the hinterlands, be prepared. Costs are up. Food, gasoline, lodging for the night, tolls and sales taxes in many places will be found to be higher than in previous years.
Two years ago, according to a survey made then by the American Automobile Association, a day on the road cost about $36 per couple. Now, at today’s prices, it takes nearly $41, it is estimated.
This assumes that they cover 300 miles a day and that they get 15 miles to the gallon of gas.
Thus, a two-week trip for two Rappahannock County people will cost approximately $574. And that is just for the necessities. It does not take care i of any outlays for amusements, | souvenirs or admissions to places of interest.
The facts and figures are based I upon the latest reports from the ! Commerce CLearing House, the j Bureau of Labor Statistics and | others.
The $41-per-day budget breaks down to $15.50 for meals and snacks, or $2.50 more than in j 1967, $13.00 for sleeping j accomodations, $1 increase, $9 < for gas and oil, also $1 more, and j $3.50 for tips and miscellaneous, , an increase of 50 cents. ' In addition to the co6t of a vacation being higher, the annual expense involved in the i ownership and operation of a car , has mounted considerably, i For the typical driver of a standard-size car in the medium | price range, driven 10,000 miles a year, it now comes to $1,550, it is estimated. The cost per mile, 15.5 cents, compares with the I 13.6 cents that the AAA reported in 1967.
Most of it, $1,160, is for fixed costs, which have nothing to do with how much the car is used. | This includes depreciation, . insurance and license fees.
The variable costs, chiefly for gas and oil, total $390 for 10,000-mile usage.
Based upon the 2,160 can in ' operation locally, residents of > Rappahannock County are i spending some $3,348,000 a year ' in this direction.
The record number of can in • the area has also been a boon to > local service stations. Their i business volume in 1968 came to $311,000.
65.5%