High gas prices have commuters taking the T

Posted by Allison Sonfist July 28, 2008 at 4:53 pm

This one is sort of a no-brainer. If you don’t like paying high gas prices, plus parking and other charges, try the subway! Rising gas prices sent commuters flocking to the MBTA in record numbers over the last 12 months. The MBTA said the largest increases came in ridership on buses and light rail, such as the Green Line.

Driving: smarter, safer, cheaper

Posted by admin June 17, 2008 at 7:20 pm

(NECN) – With the average price of gasoline now averaging nearly four dollars a gallon, many drivers are looking for new ways to save on fuel costs.

Joining us with a few tips and tricks is Phil Gott, Director of Automotive consulting for Global Insight.

Some of his suggestions include:

1) How you drive
light foot
Coast to stops, anticipating the need to stop as much as possible (no sense burning up fuel only to burn up brakes)
Keep speeds moderate
Accelerate moderately
Keep a steady foot on the accelerator – no pumping the throttle as you go along – and maintain at least once car length for every 10 mph between you and the car in front. Not only is this a safety tip, but it gives you a buffer to
Use cruise control as much as possible to maintain a steady speed.
Don’t “rev” the engine more than needed to get up to speed

2) Maintenance
Tire pressure
Wheel alignment
Air filter
Good brand and type of engine oil
Differential/final drive – synthetic oils with friction modifiers – wear out after ~35,000 miles and should be drained and replaced
Brakes
No roof racks/bike racks in the air stream
No junk in your trunk! Every pound of excess load costs about 1 gallon of fuel in 100,000 miles.

3) Buy only the vehicle you need
Buy for your every day use. need something bigger for trips? Rent it!
Urban driving, small engine, hybrid
Highway driving, small engine with turbo charger
Diesel is advantageous for fuel consumption – especially good for towing, but with the price of diesel now the fuel economy advantage is neutralized due to the high cost of the fuel.