For the first time in the 35-year history of the Convenience Store News Industry Report, total convenience store sales in 2009 declined, plunging 20% to $505.7 billion. The drop was mostly due to a 29% decrease in motor fuel revenues during a recessionary year when gas prices fell by 28 percent from the year before. Fuel consumption was also down as Americans drove less and more fuel-efficient vehicles joined the nation’s auto fleet. The recession also reduced trucking traffic, further hurting diesel sales. Report includes sales, margins on all the major product categories and subcategories in a convenience store, plus exclusive operating data.