Thursday, July 20, 2006

Dear Friends:

By now we're all feeling the pain of rising gas prices. At $2.90 a gallon, the American Automobile Association (AAA) estimates that the average family is spending $57 each time they fill up their tank.

Of course the size of the tank and the miles per gallon depend on the vehicle. Driving an SUV obviously costs more than a sub-compact. But there are Web tools that can calculate your actual fuel costs. One site, http://www.commutesolutions.com/howmuch.html, makes the estimate as accurate as possible. Be prepared for sticker shock.

What can you do to lower that cost? Plenty: you can efficiently; carpool more; combine that trip to the grocery store with a trip to the dry cleaners.

The U.S. Department of Energy has a Web site, FuelEconomy.com, which actually shows the savings you get from fuel efficiency tips. For example, observing the speed limit can increase your miles per gallon by up to 23 percent. Rapid acceleration and braking can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent at highway speeds. Removing excess weight from your vehicle can also help your gas mileage.

Another site, Edmunds.com, used a 55-mile route through the California desert to test fuel-saving tips. Some things won't affect fuel mileage. Here's good news for Arizona motorists: you won't burn more gas if you roll up the windows and turn on the air conditioner. But using the cruise control can cut consumption by up to 14 percent. And don't be an aggressive driver. That could boost your fuel costs by as much as 37 percent.

Also, look for the best price in your neighborhood by visiting AAA's Fuel Price Finder at www.aaa.com/fuelfinder. You can spend less on gasoline. All it takes is patience, consumer wisdom and good judgment.

As always, I encourage you to visit my Web page devoted to gasoline information at www.azgovernor.gov/fuelfacts. Please check the site often throughout the summer as we add fuel saving tips.

Yours very truly,

Janet Napolitano
Governor