Thursday, June 22, 2006

Dear Friends,

Every time you get on the freeway, you're propelling thousands of pounds of steel, plastic and passengers down the road at highway speeds. A vehicle must expend energy to move air out of the way as it goes down the road - less energy as you start out, and progressively more as speed increases.

Here are some well-tested driving tips that can help stretch your fuel dollar a little further:

1)  Remove excess weight from your truck or inside your car. Carrying around extra luggage or unnecessary heavy gear means you're reducing mileage, especially when driving up a steep grade.

2)  Observe the Speed Limit. Higher speeds consume more fuel. At $3 a gallon, each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an extra 20 cents a gallon for gasoline.

3)  Avoid Excessive Acceleration and Braking. Speeding, rapid acceleration and rapid braking can reduce gasoline mileage by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds.

4)  Maintain a constant speed. In most cases, this will save gasoline in conventional vehicles.

5)  Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10 percent.

6)  Reduce your driving by planning trips. Use mass transit, carpools or bicycles if possible. Walking is good for your health, and it's good for your fuel budget.

7)  Limit your reliance on drive-through outlets. Idling while you're waiting in line wastes gasoline.

8)  Reduce air drag on your pickup truck by adding a bed cover and by not driving with the tailgate down. Or add an airflow tailgate. You could see a 5 to 10 percent mileage improvement immediately.

9)  Observe the road ahead. By anticipating stops, building up speed before going up a hill, coasting down a hill, changing lanes to avoid slower cars, etc., you will maintain a constant speed.

10) Use Overdrive Gears. By using your overdrive gears, you decrease your car's engine speed, saving gas and reducing wear on your engine.

11) Stagger commuting hours to avoid traffic congestion. The stop-and-go of rush hour traffic wastes gas. Also try carpooling or telecommuting, if your work allows it.

I also encourage you to visit my Web page devoted to providing gasoline information at www.azgovernor.gov/fuelfacts. This site includes my Weekly Fuel Facts along with links to other helpful sites for gasoline information. Please check the site often throughout the summer as we add fuel saving tips.