MoneyWatch: April 2008

Minimizing Transportation Costs

The car has become a necessity for most Americans in the last 100 years.  In most of Northeast Ohio, a car provides benefits that help individuals and families in their daily lives.  However, traveling by car has become increasingly expensive due to rising gas prices.  This presents a unique problem.  Something that is relied upon so heavily is now commanding a larger chunk of available funds.  However, there are many simple things that people can do to minimize their transportation costs and get the most out of their cars.  Here are the top tips for lowering fuel costs from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA).

Drive More Efficiently
* Obey Speed Limits – As speed increases, gas mileage decreases. 
* Stop Aggressive Driving – Rapid acceleration and abrupt braking both make an engine work harder, which wastes a lot of gas.
* Avoid unnecessary idling – An idling car gets 0 miles per gallon (mpg)
* Plan your driving by giving yourself enough time, combining errands, optimizing your route, and avoiding rush hour. 
* Remove excess weight from trunk – More weight requires more gas to move.
* Windows down vs. Air Conditioning
* At speeds of 35 mph and lower, it is ok to keep the windows down because the air drag on a car is minimal.  At speeds above 35 mph, it is best to use the air conditioning if a cooler environment is desired.

Maintain Your Car or Consider Purchasing an Alternative Vehicle
* Get your engine tuned regularly – increases gas mileage by 4%
* Keep your tires inflated and aligned – increases gas mileage by 3%
* Change oil and air filters regularly – increases gas mileage by 10%-15%
* If you are in the market for a new car, consider Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) or Hybrid Electric vehicles.  Both will provide better fuel economy.

Try to Drive Less / Use Alternative Forms of Transportation
* Car pool or Car share – excellent way to reduce fuel cost because the cost is spread over a group of people.  If you don’t use a car very much it might be beneficial to look into joining a car co-op.  You pay a small membership fee for the privilege of renting a car whenever you need one.
* Public transportation – much cheaper than using your own car and you don’t have to worry about the hassle of paying for and finding parking.
* Biking/walking – free and good for you.

Click on these links for more detail and other cost saving tips.

Local Resources

Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA): Fuel-Saving Tips
ClevelandGasPrices.com: Find the Lowest Gas Prices in Cleveland
Cuyahoga County Auditor: Best Bargain Gas
MyCityWheels: Northeast Ohio Car Sharing Site
OhioRideShare.org: Carpooling Assistance for Northeast Ohio
Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA): Bus and Rapid Information
NOACA: Bike Maps for the Greater Cleveland Area

National Resources

FuelEconomy.gov: EPA Site on Fuel Economy
Federal Trade Commission (FTC): How to Improve Gas Mileage
Edmunds.com: We Test the Tips—What Really Saves Gas?
National Automobile Dealers Association: 8 Simple Steps to Lower Your Fuel Costs
CNNMoney: Take it Slow and Save Big on Gas
DailyFuelEconomyTip.com: Top Ten Ways to Reduce Your Fuel Consumption
MaxYourMPG.com: Tips to Increase Gas Mileage
Hypermiling: An Innovative Take on Fuel Saving Driving Techniques
Washington Post: Article on Hypermiling

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Research assistance for MoneyWatch is from Cleveland State University Nance College of Business Administration.