AAA to Close Olean Travel Center

BUFFALO, NY, APRIL 22, 2008 --AAA Western and Central New York announced today it will be closing the AAA Travel Center located at One Bluebird Square (175 N. Union Street) in Olean, effective June 27, 2008.

Tom Chestnut, President/CEO of AAA said, “We continually evaluate our travel center locations with the goal of best meeting our members’ needs. This can mean opening a new travel center, as we recently did in Pittsford, or occasionally closing where appropriate, as is the case with the Olean Travel Center. Increasingly, members are choosing to access AAA’s services through our www.AAA.com website and via our toll-free telephone numbers. We take great pride in serving members through our network of 14 travel centers; however, in some locations, a travel center just isn’t economically viable. We have worked hard to make sure that all of AAA’s popular product lines—including Internet TripTiks®, online travel reservations, insurance, and requests for Emergency Road Service—are easily accessible on www.AAA.com.

AAA members can call 1-800-AAA-HELP for Emergency Road Service and 1 800 937-1222 for travel reservations and vacation planning. Additionally, general member information and after-hours travel agency services are available at 1-800-836-2582. Travel materials, TripTiks®, maps and TourBooks® can also be preordered and mailed to the member’s residence through the general member services’ toll-free number at 1-800-836-2582.

AAA members will also have the option of making travel arrangements by calling 716-372-3511. For those members wishing to continue to conduct business in person, the AAA Travel and Insurance Center in Dunkirk is located at 3963 Vineyard Drive, 76 miles from the Olean location.

“We will remain active in Olean and Cattaraugus County through our network of Emergency Road Service providers, Approved Auto Repair facilities and Show Your Card & Save® partners, as well as through our traffic safety, driver training and legislative programs,” concluded Chestnut.

The AAA Travel Center in Olean was acquired in 1999 through a merger with the Cattaraugus-Allegany Auto Club. The closing date coincides with the end of the lease at Bluebird Square, where the Center has been located for five years. Affected AAA associates will be considered for positions elsewhere in the organization.

As Upstate New York’s largest motoring and travel organization, AAA provides its 880,000 members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1900, AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited at www.AAA.com.

Contact:
Shaun Seufert (716) 929-3600
Diana R. Dibble (315) 453-5904
Wally Smith (716) 626-3225