Significance
- Cash-strapped Americans changing vacation plans, turning to carpools, mass transit
- In society nurtured on cheap gasoline, high fuel prices having disparate effects
- Business at roadside convenience stores slowed; tourism industry bracing for downturn
- Steadily rising price of gasoline eating into money consumers have to spend
- Fuel prices could be drag on economy already weighed down
- MasterCard reporting 4% - 5% declines in gasoline purchases