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Increased gas prices hurting long-time RV owners, businesses

Increased gas prices hurting long-time RV owners, businesses
Increased gas prices hurting long-time RV owners, businesses 02:48

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) -- It has been a rough couple of months for Guy Dankles' RV business.  

After a booming and record breaking two years during the thick of the pandemic, motorized RV sales have dropped significantly.  

"It's probably a 50% drop," Dankles said.  

A preowned RV typically starts at about $40,000. Dankles believes people aren't wanting to buy them because of how much it would cost to fill it up. 

"With things going the way they're going, people are just considering other things to possibly do because of the affordability factor," he said.  

According to AAA, the average cost of regular gas in Texas is more than $4 per gallon. This time last year the number was much less, sitting at just $2.80 per gallon.  

Depending on the size RV and the gas it requires, it can cost around $450 to fill up.  

Dankles says the loss in revenue may result in layoffs.  

"I got sales guys that aren't going to be able to make as many as many sales as they were, I've got service guys that aren't going to have as many units to work on, I've got cleaning staff that I'll probably have to lay off or let go because I won't need those additional employees that I needed last year," he said.  

The pain at the pump is also hurting long time RV owners. Abe Weldon has owned his for nearly 40 years.  

He says he usually goes on about three trips a year, but this year he can only afford to go on one. 

"It's so expensive you can't afford it," Weldon said. "I had plans to travel to the northern part of the US this year but can't do it with the fuel prices." 

It's unclear when or if gas prices will go back down but both men say they hope it goes down soon. 

"At the level that we're going, I think honestly it can be a rough fall," Dankles said.  

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