WASHINGTON, D.C.—The national average for a gallon of gas popped two pennies higher to $3.21 since last week as large swaths of the country deal with severe back-to-back storm damage. Like Hurricane Helene, Milton will not severely impact national gasoline supplies but will affect demand in areas with destroyed infrastructure, flooded roads, and power outages, according to AAA.
Overseas, the tension between Iran and Israel continues, which is causing a slow wobbling in the price of oil but no steady upward movement.
“All this terrible weather lately could cause regional prices to rise as drivers flock to the few open stations with gas,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “But as roads are cleared and power is restored, stations will be able to be re-supplied, so any upward pressure on prices should be fleeting.”
With an estimated 1.2 million AAA members living in households with one or more electric vehicles, AAA tracks the average kilowatt-per-hour cost for all levels of public charging by state. Today’s national average for a kilowatt of electricity at a public charging station is 35 cents.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand surged from 8.52 million b/d last week to 9.65. Meanwhile, total domestic gasoline stocks plunged from 221.2 million barrels to 214.9, while gasoline production increased last week, averaging 10.2 million barrels daily.
Today’s national average for a gallon of gas is $3.21, 5 cents less than a month ago and 47 cents less than a year ago.
Oil Market Dynamics
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell by 33 cents to settle at $73.24 a barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories increased by 5.8 million barrels from the previous week. At 422.7 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.
Quick Gas and Electricity Stats
Gas
The nation’s top10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.67), Hawaii ($4.59), Washington ($4.05), Nevada ($3.91), Oregon ($3.67), Alaska ($3.65), Illinois ($3.50), Utah ($3.50), Idaho ($3.44), and Pennsylvania ($3.38).
The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Georgia ($2.72), Mississippi ($2.75), Texas ($2.80), Arkansas ($2.81), Oklahoma ($2.81), Louisiana ($2.83), Missouri ($2.84), Kansas ($2.84), Alabama ($2.86), and Tennessee ($2.86).
Electric
The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (22 cents), Missouri (24 cents), Delaware (26 cents), Nebraska (28 cents), Texas (29 cents), Vermont (30 cents), Michigan (30 cents,) Utah (30 cents), Wisconsin (30 cents), and North Dakota (30 cents).
The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Hawaii (55 cents), West Virginia (45 cents), Montana (43 cents), Arkansas (42 cents), Idaho (42 cents), New Hampshire (42 cents), South Carolina (42 cents), Kentucky (41 cents), South Dakota (41 cents), and Alaska (41 cents).
The AAA Fuel Report will take a vacation later this month and will not be posted on October 17th and 24th. However, it will return on the 31st in time for Halloween.
Drivers can find current gas and electric charging prices along their route using the AAA TripTik Travel planner.
Erich Keilich has taken over as CFO of the AL-KO Vehicle Technology Group in September 2024. The economics graduate was most recently CFO of the CPI Gruppe Deutschland in Ulm. He was previously responsible for pioneering projects corporate development, process optimization and cost efficiency as CFO of Bauknecht Hausgeräte GmbH. Before joining Bauknecht, he worked in a variety of international finance roles for General Motors.
Harald Hiller, President and CEO of AL-KO Vehicle Technology, commented: “I am delighted that we have gained Erich Keilich as a leader with transformational experience who will enrich our management team. With his wide-ranging experience in finance and his determination to optimize processes and results, he will make a valuable contribution to the further development of our company.”
FAIRFAX, Va. – GE Appliances, a supplier of refrigerators, air conditioners, stoves washers and dryers for the RV industry, will return as a bronze partner for the 2024 RV Dealers Convention/Expo.
The Convention/Expo will take place Nov. 11-15, 2024, at Paris Las Vegas and is sponsored by RVDA of U.S., RVDA of Canada, and the Mike Molino RV Learning Center.
“GE Appliances has increased the number of products it offers RVers dramatically over the past few years,” said Convention/Expo Committee Chair Chris Andro, Hemlock Hill RV Sales in Southington, CT. “We are grateful to have GE as one of our valuable partners.”
“As we have grown our offerings for RVs, we have continued to provide the type of quality products GE built its reputation upon,” said Attila Krizsan, senior director, recreational living for GE Appliances. “By backing the Convention/Expo, we hope to continue to show our commitment to our RV dealer partners.”
About the RV Dealers Convention/Expo
The convention allows North America’s top dealership personnel to forge valuable connections with peers, industry leaders, and potential business partners in the Expo. Dealership professionals can expand their network and gain insights from the best in the RV industry.
The dealer-organized RVDA Convention will provide an in-depth look into the current sales landscape. Attendees will have access to valuable resources to optimize all departments within a dealership, including fixed operations.
To register for the 2024 RV Dealers Convention/Expo click here. Regular updates will be posted on the convention website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
Companies interested in partnership or sponsorship opportunities can contact Julie Newhouse at (703) 364-5518 or email [email protected].
EDITOR’S NOTE: During the recent Glamping Show Americas, Woodall’s Campground Magazine (WCM) Editor Ben Quiggle conducted several interviews with people at the show to give everyone a chance to learn more about the variety of accommodation units that were displayed. Over the next few weeks, WCM – a sister publication to RVBusiness – will highlight these videos and the companies that are manufacturing these units in an effort to show off the innovation in the glamping sector. In this first video, Quiggle chats with Zach Stoltenberg, the outdoor hospitality director for architecture firm Clockwork, about the partnership the company has developed with Mscapes. Mscapes was highlighting its new NOMAD cabin.
ESSLINGEN, Germany – The growing number of electrical functions in modern vehicles is reducing the installation space according to a press release from Eberspaecher.
Reliability and monitoring of vehicle electric systems are also becoming increasingly important – especially for autonomous driving. Eberspaecher is rising to these challenges with the extremely powerful and compact PowerSentinel Advanced Switching Solution (PASS). The new semiconductor switch carries and safeguards high currents in various environments in low-voltage networks up to safety integrity level ASIL D.
Whether it’s in redundant vehicle electric systems for autonomous driving, for critical safety loads such as electric brakes and controls (“X‑by‑wire”) or as an electronic semiconductor-based fuse (e-fuse)—the PowerSentinel protects subnetworks and isolates them from the vehicle electric system in case of an emergency. This feature is essential, for example, in the case of short circuits, cable breaks and overvoltage events. The semiconductor switch can carry currents of up to 2000 A for a short time and 200 A continuously. The low quiescent current of less than 100 µA with an active disconnector prevents discharge of the battery. The semiconductor switch was initially designed for 12 V, but the option of a 24 V or 48 V variant will be available in the future.
Optimized geometry and needs-based configuration The growing number of electrical functions is increasing the demand for control units in modern vehicles—and therefore space is becoming ever tighter. Moreover, every gram of weight saved plays its part in extending the range of electric engines. With dimensions of 14.76 by 10.8 by 2.19 cm, the PowerSentinel makes installation in the vehicle very easy. In addition, the modular concept behind the configuration of the switch offers the customer maximum flexibility in terms of both hardware and software. For example, there is a choice between various safety levels up to ASIL D in accordance with ISO 26262 and a variety of diagnostic requirements can be met. The PowerSentinel comes with a LIN bus connection to the vehicle electric system as standard. CAN is also available as an alternative. The PowerSentinel was designed in-house by Eberspaecher and its specifications have been drawn up on the basis of intensive discussions with customers and market analyses. It will be available from the end of 2024.
Patents for lower power loss and smaller space requirements In the PowerSentinel, Eberspaecher brings together its expertise and experience from more than 20 years of development in automotive electronics. The patented current measurement with no shunt resistor reduces power loss and waste heat. This means there is no need for a heat sink even at continuously high currents, which in turn reduces the installation space required. The optimized busbar concept is also a patented approach that makes transport of the current through the printed circuit board as efficient as possible and generates less waste heat. Extensive knowledge of semiconductor-based switches in modern vehicle electric systems is also evident in the equally innovative diagnostic capabilities. It is possible to test the switch continuously in closed and conducting state without opening it—even while driving. The PowerSentinel is a flexible component that can be used in various circuit configurations to protect the low-voltage electric system of modern vehicles.
ATHENS, Texas — The National RV Training Academy (NRVTA) announces an expanded class schedule for the first quarter of 2025, doubling available seats to meet the overwhelming demand for its hands-on training programs.
As one of the highest-rated RV technician and inspector training facilities in the nation, according to a release, NRVTA offers comprehensive five-week courses that promote entrepreneurship while equipping students with the skills needed to succeed in the rapidly growing RV industry.
With elective courses such as solar installation and generator repair, NRVTA continues to address the evolving needs of RV owners who rely on certified technicians to keep their vehicles in top condition. The increased availability of these specialized courses is a direct response to the rising popularity of mobile RV tech services across the country, driven by the success of RVTAA-certified technicians, many of whom are found through the RVTAA Tech Locator.
“With thousands of certified technicians already on the road, there is still a pressing need for even more to keep up with the demand,” Kelly Bradley, COO at NRVTA. “The expansion of our class schedule is essential to meet this growing demand and ensure that technicians are fully prepared to enter the field with confidence and expertise.”
The NRVTA’s unique hands-on approach is what sets it apart from other training institutions. Through repetition and muscle memory, students gain real-world experience by working with the very equipment they’ll encounter on the job. NRVTA has invested millions of dollars in equipment, allowing students to practice and refine their skills in a controlled, hands-on environment. This focus on practical experience ensures that graduates are prepared for the demands of the field from day one.
In five weeks, NRVTA students develop the knowledge and proficiency required to launch their own mobile RV businesses or join established teams. The academy’s programs are designed to not only teach the technical skills but also foster entrepreneurship, empowering graduates to take control of their careers and thrive in a booming market.
As a leading provider of RV technician and inspector training, NRVTA is committed to supporting the industry by equipping its graduates with years of hands-on experience in a matter of weeks. With the expansion of the 2025 class schedule, NRVTA is well-positioned to continue developing the next generation of skilled RV professionals ready to meet the needs of the growing RV community.
For more information or to enroll in NRVTA’s courses, visit www.nrvta.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was written before hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall. Since then, the OHI Foundation has created a $75,000 fundraising goal to support parks impacted by Helene. To learn more, click here.
The OHI Foundationis seeking further help to support its disaster relief efforts as requests for such support continues to rise due to the increasing number of natural disasters occurring.
Recently, the Foundation had to pause distributing disaster relief support due to a lack of funds.
“We’ve exceeded our budget for the second year in a row,” noted Terry Munoz, chairman of the foundation. “We have the money that is earmarked for the school through the George O’Leary fund and then we have our unrestricted funds or donations that we use for disaster relief. It has been an unprecedented year for disasters and we have received numerous requests that we have funded this year.”
Munoz noted that the foundation has had to have some tough conversations recently with park owners seeking help that the Foundation couldn’t give aid to at the moment.
Disaster Relief support is funded 100% through donations from park owners/operators across the country, and some industry suppliers, like Tengo Internet, have given thousands over the past several years.
Krystine Harris, vice president of finance for OHI, noted that both 2023 and 2024 have been “significantly over budget.”
Fiscal Year 2024 (ends 9/30) – Disbursed $31,500 — these figures were gathered near the end of August
Fiscal Year 2023 – Disbursed $34,500
Type of Support Provided
Parks may apply for any, or all, of the following:
Up to $1,000 Grant For Interim Relief For Personal Use
Up to $3,000 Grant for Interim Relief for Business Use
Up to $1,000 Grant For Providing Shelter, Food, Clothing, etc., to Victims of a Natural Disaster, including Park Staff
* Parks must apply for Disaster Relief Funds within 60 days of experiencing a disaster.
Munoz said he hopes to highlight all of the work that the Foundation does to support the industry.
“We want to make sure that we’re getting the word out of who we are and what we do,” he noted. “Our tagline says, ‘It’s in our nature to help,’ and that’s what we do. We want people to know that and how we do that, whether it’s through disaster relief or scholarships, which help people improve their businesses by attending OHI’s national school.”
BREVARD, N.C. – It’s been just over a week since Hurricane Helene slammed into North Carolina mountains. The devastation to lives, property, and infrastructure is unreal. Even with many associates still dealing with no power, water, and storm clean up, SylvanSport is here for our community and we’re open for business, according to company officials.
Many of you have asked how you can help.
Supporting WNC businesses is a powerful way to help. With every SylvanSport purchase made this month, the company will donate a portion of sales to those directly impacted by this devastating storm. In addition, SylvanSport is offering custom-designed Hurricane Helene Relief T-shirts from SylvanSport, which helps share the message and 100% of the proceeds are going directly to those impacted by Helene.
IRVINE, Calif. – Performance Brokerage Services, North America’s highest volume dealership brokerage firm, announces the sale of Oklahoma RV Center in Moore, Okla., from Lenny Zak to Optimum RV. Oklahoma RV Center will be renamed Optimum RV Oklahoma City and will remain at its current location at 3045 North Service Road in Moore, Okla., according to a release.
Optimum RV, one of the nation’s fastest growing independent RV dealers, was founded in 2006 by CEO Denver Beck, the release continued. He began his career flipping boats but was inspired to enter the RV industry after purchasing an RV from a customer, recognizing the lifestyle and freedom that RVs offer. Beck has since grown Optimum RV into a multi-state dealer group with 12 locations across Florida, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas.
Beck shared, “We have a great relationship with Jesse Stopnitzky and Performance Brokerage Services. They are always upfront and honest with us, which makes our dealings with them and their clients smooth and rewarding for everyone involved.”
Lenny Zak, a veteran in the RV industry, will continue to operate his RV business in Texas. Reflecting on the sale of his dealership in Oklahoma, Zak shared, “I had the pleasure of working with Jesse Stopnitzky and Performance Brokerage Services on the sale of our dealership in Oklahoma. Through their extensive network of buyers, they quickly found the perfect match for us. Jesse was always straight-forward, honest, sincere, and professional. His guidance helped us close this deal in record time. If you are considering the purchase or sale of an RV dealership, you need to call the experts at Performance Brokerage Services. They will treat you like family and get the job done!”
Over the last five years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of over 300 dealerships, making it the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. Jesse Stopnitzky, co-owner and director of the RV Division, and Jon Couwenberg, partner, were the exclusive sell-side advisors for this transaction.
Stopnitzky commented, “We are honored to have been entrusted by Lenny Zak with facilitating the sale of his dealership in Oklahoma. This is a responsibility that we do not take lightly. Often, our role involves identifying the right fit between buyer and seller to ensure that the goals are met for both parties, and this transaction is another example of a win-win. We wish Optimum RV tremendous success with the acquisition and look forward to working together for years to come.”
Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is North America’s highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in buy-sell activity for automotive, RV, commercial truck, powersports, and equipment dealerships.
With over 30 years of experience, 900 dealerships sold, and a 90% closing rate, the company’s reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct and integrity.
The company offers a unique approach by providing complimentary estimates of value with no upfront fees or retainer, no reimbursement of costs, and paid a success fee only after the transaction closes.
Headquartered in Irvine, California, and supported by 9 regional offices in Utah, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Alberta and Ontario, clients benefit from national exposure with local representation.
As trusted and respected experts in the field, the company utilizes an extensive network of industry related attorneys, accountants, hundreds of registered buyers, and longstanding relationships with various vehicle manufacturers.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The above video is from Storm Chaser Aaron Rigsby’s YouTube channel. His video description reads: The destructive aftermath left behind from Hurricane Milton across Florida is nothing short of heartbreaking. Most were still cleaning up from Helene.
While damage from Hurricane Milton was still being assessed, early reports out of Florida indicate RV dealerships, parks and campgrounds all fared better than they were expecting. Many of those RVBusiness was able to contact said they escaped with minor damage to their facilities as well as inventory, and that employees all seem to be faring well.
Dave Kelly at a previous Florida RV SuperShow. (RVB file photo)
Florida residents repaired damage from Hurricane Milton and cleaned up debris Friday after the storm smashed through coastal communities and tore homes to pieces, flooded streets and spawned a barrage of deadly tornadoes, according to an Associated Press report. At least eight people were dead, but many expressed relief that Milton wasn’t worse. The hurricane spared densely populated Tampa a direct hit, and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never materialized.
Arriving just two weeks after the devastating Hurricane Helene, the system flooded barrier islands, tore the roof off the Tampa Bay Rays ‘ baseball stadium and toppled a construction crane, the AP report continued. As residents assessed damage to their property, over 2.5 million customers in Florida remained without power Friday morning, according to poweroutage.us. But the state’s vital tourism industry started to return to normal, with several theme parks preparing to reopen.
Dave Kelly, president of the Florida RV Trade Association (FRVTA), said his offices will remain closed at least through the weekend as they are without power and Internet service. He also needs to deal with a tree limb that smashed through one of the windows. Still, he said, it appears as if they only suffered minimal damage. He hasn’t been able to contact all of his dealer members to determine their status, but all indications are mostly positive.
“It looks like we dodged a bullet,” Kelly said. “I think we’re going to be in good shape.”
RV Dealers Report Minimal Damage
Jon Ferrando
As one might expect, most attempts to reach affected dealers were unsuccessful Thursday and this morning. A person who answered the phone at Lazydays Tampa location said the dealership was still operating on generator power Thursday afternoon, as was the corporate headquarters. She also said staff was busy helping remove a number of trees that had fallen on the property during the storm.
The good news at Blue Compass RV, a 104-store operation based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., is that none of the firm’s eight Florida stores were seriously damaged by Hurricane Milton unlike two years ago when Hurricane Ian left the company’s Ft. Myers location was under water with major flood damage and lost 80 to 100 units back when Blue Compass was still known as RV Retailer.
“This latest 100-plus mile-per-hour hurricane was a big storm that cut through and certainly had a major impact on Floridians,” Blue Compass RV President & CEO Jon Ferrando told RVB on Thursday. “But in terms of our stores, while it ran right right through our Sarasota store as well as Tampa and Orlando, we’ve had significantly less damage than anticipated. So, it’s probably a best case scenario in terms of damage to our property and inventory. It’s all very manageable. Our teams did a great job of prepping for this storm. We’ve had a lot of experience with hurricanes down here in Florida and it’s an all-out effort right now to get our stores back up and running and fully operational within the next day or two. We’ve got generators, and we’re working very quickly to restore operations across Florida.”
Loren Baidas
General RV Center has six locations in Florida, and CEO Loren Baidas said they, too, only had minimal damage to facilities and inventory.
“Fortunately for us, the hurricane went in between all of our stores rather than right on top of one of them,” Baidas said. “But we had no major structural damage and no major inventory damage. Four out of our six stores have power, but all of them are open – we have a short-term work-around for those two stores without power.”
Baidas credited store management and staff for doing a great job in preparing for the hurricane, and added that employees who need time off due to their personal situations are being given that relief.
Ben Hirsch
Ben Hirsch, chief operating officer for Campers Inn RV and its 37 locations, said the company’s four Florida stores – two in Ocala and two, including its corporate headquarters, in Jacksonville – were able to escape with minor damage and its employees seem to be faring well as can be expected.
“We did have some property damage. It was what I would define as mild property damage for the intensity of the storm, and that was more in one of our Ocala stores,” Hirsch told RVB on Thursday afternoon. “We’ve inspected most of our inventory. We’ll continue to look at all of our inventory, and so far I would categorize the impact to Campers Inn has been relatively minor. We’ve also done checks with all of our employees who will answer the phone. Some of them are still without power, so we haven’t gotten ahold of everybody, and all of our employees are safe that we’ve been able to get ahold of so far. So that’s been really good, too. So, so far, so good for the Campers Inn team and our dealerships.”
Like other dealerships in the path of any hurricane, Hirsch noted there’s not much they’re able to do to prepare for such an intense storm.
“There’s not a ton, but there are some common sense things that we do, such as corralling our inventory away from things that could be falling, like trees and branches and that sort of stuff,” he said. “We put the least expensive inventory on the outside and the most expensive inventory on the inside, so if there is damage, it’s minor. We sandbagged some of our dealerships, the actual physical properties, to make sure that they’re okay. It’s pretty much the same things you’d think to do with your own personal property is what our teams do.
A downed tree not far from Craig Floyd’s Florida home. (Photo courtesy of Craig Floyd)
“When we have enough time and there’s a place to really mitigate, we do move our inventory as well,” he added. “In this case, with pretty much the entire state of Florida looking like it was impacted, there wasn’t a whole lot of opportunity to move inventory. But we have done that in the past. It’s tough to be really a coastal dealer in the southeast, but there are some things you can do to try to mitigate.”
RVB was able to contact several other RV industry companies and colleagues in Milton’s path who reported varying degrees of property damage, but all appear to have escaped with no injuries.
Thanks for reaching out. We appreciate it! It’s been a crazy week, that’s for sure! I am happy to report we have power, not too much water or wind damage and overall are in great shape compared to our friends on the west coast. Hurricane season has been BRUTAL this year!
Craig Floyd, vice president of sales and marketing for Intellitec Products LLC, said it was a “long night” but everyone as doing okay.
Bob Parish of Wells Fargo DF and his family rode out the hurricane in central Florida, where he expects to remain until this weekend before returning to his Tampa-area home to assess the damages.
LeeAnn Barber of Contoure USA said it’s been a “crazy week” and a “brutal” hurricane season, but they do have power and had minimal water and wind damage due to Mliton.
Campgrounds Fare Better Than Expected
Preliminary reports from campground operators and industry officials suggest that Hurricane Milton didn’t do as much damage across Florida as was originally anticipated.
Officials cautioned that it could be several days before the full extent is known because of continuing power outages, which disrupted communications. However, they also said that many parks were quickly able to resume operations after the storm.
Bobby Cornwell
Bobby Cornwell, president and CEO of the Florida RV Park and Campground Association, said he has been in touch with many park operators across the state who have provided him with assessments on the storm’s impact.
“Most of Florida, except for the Panhandle area, was impacted by Hurricane Milton’s torrential rains, winds, and tornadoes. However, many parks have responded from around the state, including some in the Tampa, Sarasota, and Ft. Myers areas, and it appears that the majority are going to be fine once debris is cleaned up and power is restored,” Cornwell said.
“I’m sure there are some parks that have received major damage, and many of the coastal communities are in for a long recovery. But, overall, it appears the damage wasn’t as bad as expected.”
Rachel R. Godbout
Rachel R. Godbout, COO of Advanced Outdoor Management, said her company did not have any parks damaged by Hurricane Milton, but the succession of recent hurricanes has produced logistical work for the company. “For any of the storms that hit, we shift our campers around to other parks in our portfolio as quickly and efficiently as we can. We also make sure to let people in the area know if we have vacancies at parks out of the affected areas. We know what it’s like to have to evacuate. So we try to help as much as we can and be as compassionate as possible. Those times are very stressful.”
Toby O’Rourke, president and CEO of Billings, Mont.-based Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA), said preliminary reports from KOA franchisees were positive.
Toby O’Rourke
“While we continue to assess the full impact of Hurricane Milton, at this stage, early reports sound positive for our campgrounds,” she said. “Campground managers and owners are returning to evaluate their sites as soon as it is safe to do so. We expect to have a full view of Milton’s impact in the coming days and anticipate being ready to welcome fall and winter campers—including our Snowbirds—back to our affected campgrounds soon.”
Cornwell, for his part, added that damage from the three hurricanes that struck Florida this year is limited and should not have much of an effect on Florida’s snowbird business this fall and winter.
“There are over 200,000 RV Sites in Florida, and even though we do not have reports back from all of the parks, I feel comfortable estimating that even after three hurricanes this year, at least 96% of the RV parks and their sites are in operation or will be open for business soon and ready for the snowbird season.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: While RVB is endeavoring to learn what it can regarding the extent of hurricane damage throughout the affected areas of Florida, there are obviously plenty of companies, dealerships and campgrounds, about which the Elkhart, Ind.-based trade publisher has heard very little and would appreciate news tips at (contact by email or phone).
