According to Mary Jo Bumbico, Regional Sales Manager of AAA Ohio Auto Club, the main reason many AAA members sign up is to receive access to automotive services, which includes towing, lock and key service, and roadside assistance. However, many other services are available in their six main business lines of Travel, Automotive, Financial, Membership, Insurance, and Show Your Card & Save.
Mary Jo went on to say that something that often surprises people to learn is that you do not have to be a member of the auto club to use their travel services. However, only members may receive certain discounts and services such as TripTiks, Tourbooks, and maps. As the area's largest travel agency, AAA can help plan any kind of domestic or international travel, including tours, cruises, airline tickets, and hotel & car rentals. All of their agents are destination specialists and receive continuing education through their corporate training program, in which agents are required to participate. Mary Jo suggests that it is important to use a travel consultant when planning a trip because travel requirements change frequently and AAA agents always know the latest requirements. It also supports our local economy and provides the consumer with a contact for face-to-face help dealing with changes, cancellations and mishaps before or during your travel.
As part of their financial services, AAA sells Visa travel money cards, which can be used anywhere in the U.S. or internationally where Visa is accepted. They also sell foreign currency, but travelers must redeem it for U.S. currency before their return to the U.S. AAA also sells gift cards that can be used to purchase membership or for travel and travel-related merchandise such as luggage, purses, healthy back bags and park tickets. AAA's insurance services include property, casualty and life insurance.
The Show Your Card & Save program is another substantial benefit of AAA membership and the savings available often more than pay for yearly AAA membership. This program offers members discounts at over 160,000 locations worldwide, such as hotels, restaurants, rental cars, theme park and attraction tickets, retail stores and online shopping.
AAA is an active advocate of travel safety initiatives, including anti drinking and driving programs, grant programs to help schools fund non-alcoholic after-prom parties, and working with AAA-approved driving schools, such as fellow chamber member Beep Beep Driving School. AAA is also active in the community. Locally, they are one of the co-sponsors of the annual chamber Luau, and are involved with several Rotary and other charitable organizations' events.
The AAA Ohio Auto Club, one of several clubs in the state of Ohio, has 32 locations and over 750,000 members. The St. Clairsville location is at 51560 National Road and can be reached at 740 695-4030 or online by starting at www.aaaohio.com. They are open Monday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon.
