Transportation

Can U-Pass Me That Scooter?

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Ever since gas prices started rising above $2.50/gallon (wow - can anyone even remember back that far?), I’ve been semi-obsessed with finding ways to save money at the pump, to extend my mileage, and to avoid driving in general. This is probably a mentality I picked up when I lived in Germany 8 years ago. (Side Note: Europeans have been getting robbed at the pump for much longer than we have. From what I remember, we had to pay about €2 per liter…or about $8/gallon.) This post includes two things I am doing to reduce fuel costs, followed by a few additional resources to help you get started.

Park & Ride: I was stoked when I found out that the intercampus shuttle service was still running during the summer semester. This is a set of busses that take students back and forth to the four different ASU campuses. I’ve written about it here before. These aren’t big yellow school busses either. Most of them are coach-style touring busses. With reclining padded seats, air vents above each row (like an airplane), and WiFi Internet access provided by Verizon, the shuttle is a great way to get to class.

It’s Not a Moped. It’s a Scooter: Last March, my wife and I purchased two scooters from Scooter Invasion in Tempe. You may have seen my post about it last April. I have since put almost 1000 miles on mine. I just looked at my checking account to see if our gas spending has decreased since riding the scooters more regularly. (Before you freak out at the numbers, I have to add some disclaimer language: We live in Queen Creek, AZ. Also known as West New Mexico. Also known as the-middle-of-nowhere. It takes us 15 minutes to get to a grocery store, and we’re 12 miles from a freeway. My wife’s job takes her all around the valley so she drives a lot; more than the average commuter.) Here’s a breakdown our fuel spending for the past three months:

I’ll admit, it’s not always pleasant to ride with 100+ degree temperatures, but savings like this can really make it worth it. I’m looking forward to next semester when all my classes are on the Polytechnic campus. I expect these numbers to drop even lower.

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Here are some additional resources available to the ASU community:

U-Pass | In 2005, Arizona State University teamed up with Valley Metro to offer the ASU U-Pass. The card was good for one year and allowed ASU students unlimited access to every Valley Metro bus. Faculty and staff could also obtain the U-Pass at a discounted rate.

According to the ASU Parking & Transit website, “The U-Pass program has become an enormous success, with nearly 1.5 million boardings on Valley Metro buses by ASU U-Pass users reported last fiscal year.” As the U-Pass enters its third year, holders will also be able to ride the METRO light rail for free when it begins service in December 2008.  If you have questions about getting your U-Pass, visit the ASU Commuter Options website.

To find a bus route close to you, visit ValleyMetro.org. You can figure out your trip from start to finish with their Bus Trip Planner.

If you want to stay up to date on the progress of the METRO light rail, the folks at RailLife.com have created a very informational site. Their goal is to “assist business owners, commuters, sports fans, convention goers, property owners, students, art lovers, vacationers and YOU in learning more about the areas and venues surrounding the light rail line.” They also have a blog that features video and weekly updates on construction progress, and anything else you’d ever want to know about the light rail. Here’s a link to subscribe to their RSS feed.

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So Sun Devils, what are YOU doing to cut back? Submit your tips in the comments.

If you’re reading from outside the ASU community, let us know what you’ve been doing to cut your fuel costs. 

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UPDATE: David Giesberg of davidgiesberg.com just enlightened me to Hypermiling. Thanks for the tip David!

I just checked out hypermiling.com. They’ve got some great tips about how to change your driving habits. I’m especially interested in the report from “step 4.” Here’s a quote and link to the research report:

Anti-Traffic was “discovered” and described by Electrical Engineer William J. Beaty in a very well written and detailed article in 1998. Check out his groundbreaking research article about negating traffic congestion waves

The methods Beaty identifies in his article are a key to hypermiling, because (1) the gasoline wasted in traffic congestion causes a tremendous nationwide cumulative effect on the demand for fossil fuels, and (2) without traffic jams, we’d all be moving along smoothly in our cars, resulting in less stops and starts, which equals less acceleration (uses gas) and less braking-induced deceleration (which wastes the motion we began when we accelerated.) And of course less time spent stopped, when your car is getting zero miles per gallon.

Keep those tips coming!