Not surprisingly RVs, those big, lumbering behemoths of the American road beloved by many pensioners, haven't been selling well in this era of permanent $3.00 plus gasoline. Here is a local Oregon television station with the latest bad news to hit the industry:
Monaco RV will be ceasing production of motorized RV's permanently at its Coburg manufacturing plant. While the company is not ceasing all operations at the facility, the company anticipates that about 272 employees will be terminated over the next six months.It has been a common fantasy among many of those in the middle class to retire, buy and RV and go hit the road to see all the sights around the country they didn't have the time to visit while they were working. Most of those who still harbor this particular fantasy need to recognize that expensive fuel costs are soon going to render the option unaffordable for most people if they haven't already.
The first terminations will occur in March 2012.
Bonus: "Vacation...all I ever wanted"
A lot of these people who have retired and do the whole RV are almost a kind of class unto themselves, they are becoming kind of like a nomad class, they drive to several select places at given times of the year and then just kind of hole up there for months, and then head out generally when the seasons change. We have a lot of RV parks around here, and there are just kind of the same old crowds that show up in the summer and basically make camp until fall and winter roll around.
ReplyDeleteThey really don't do a whole lot of constant motoring around, so they really don't end up spending much on gas, a lot of them bring motorcycles and scooters that they use as "shuttles" for localized travel.
I know that plant, we always drive by it on the 5, and I look at the RVs and think? Who has money to by these monsters?
ReplyDelete"I look at the RVs and think? Who has money to by these monsters?"
ReplyDeleteAnd, what qualifies them to pilot these leviathans?!
A class 3 drivers license? :-<
gardener1
Indeed, the RV parks here in Oregon are chock-full of, I suspect, post foreclosure,otherwise homeless people. The school buses stop at the RV parks and pick up loads of kids and the trailer parks also are doing a good business in families. Near me, there's always a few RVs parked alongside the river for free and I suspect they are either fishing or gold panning (or both) for a living. For someone on a fixed SS income, the lifestyle could be an interesting option. If moved infrequently, gas costs would not be a big problem and moving with the weather has its benefits. It is also one step away from being invisible, as far as the PTB are concerned.
ReplyDeleteI used to work there.... a lot of good people are being hurt.
ReplyDeleteSad times.
As to what license you need.... just a regular drivers license...
scary but true.