FEATURE/Cruise America Holds Fuel Costs Down

    MESA, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--April 26, 2001--Cruise America Thursday announced a Fuel Cost Protection Program to counteract fuel price increases that may occur through 2001.
    The program will establish a base fuel cost per gallon this spring and credit any increases in that cost against the total rental charges.
    "We're hoping to take some of the uncertainty out of renting an RV," said Bob Caldarone, Cruise America's assistant vice president for marketing and development. "This program will help keep costs down and means people won't have to limit their travel plans."
    The Fuel Cost Protection Program operates on a simple formula using the National Regular Unleaded Average Price (cost per gallon) as listed in the American Automobile Association's Daily Fuel Gauge Report. This is the most comprehensive retail gasoline survey available and will serve as the means for measuring gasoline price increases.
    On the consumption side, Cruise America is assigning a typical 8 miles per gallon for its RVs which all perform well on regular unleaded gas.
    The base point for measuring fuel prices was taken April 1, 2001. Unleaded gas was selling for $1.45 per gallon. At 8 miles per gallon rate of consumption, the average fuel cost per mile driven in the RV is $0.18. Fast forward to renting an RV for the first week in July.
    If the report says unleaded fuel has jumped to $2.00 per gallon that week, the average fuel cost per mile driven would be $0.25, or $.07 higher than the cost in April. That difference, for all miles driven, will be credited against rental costs when the RV is returned. For example, a 2,000-mile excursion with the $.07 credit rate would result in a $140 credit against rental costs.
    The Cost Protection offer runs from April 1 through rentals returned by Dec. 31, 2001. It is open to bona fide residents of the United States and Canada who are renting Cruise America RVs in the United States.
    For additional information call Cruise America's central reservations at 800/327-7799 or go to the web site at cruiseamerica.com.
    Cruise America RV Rental & Sales, headquartered in Mesa, is the world's largest motorhome rental and sales company with over 150 locations and a fleet of more than 4,800 recreational vehicles.