Fill up on money-saving gas tips

By Deborah Adamson
Advertiser Staff Writer

Prices at a Shell station on Wai'alae Avenue are representative of the high cost of filling up your car in Hawai'i. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Now, his monthly gasoline bill comes to about $36 instead of the $90 he used to fork over to power his truck.

"I've doubled my miles per gallon," said the teacher at Kamehameha Schools. "I'm kind of a truck person, but it's too expensive."

Hawai'i residents are feeling the pinch at the pump as gasoline prices soar to record highs. But drivers don't have to be at the mercy of oil companies and the global crude oil market. By switching to a more fuel-efficient car, like Mecham did, or altering your lifestyle and driving habits, you can save more money than you realize.

Yesterday, the average price in Hawai'i for regular unleaded gasoline reached a record $2.315 a gallon, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Nationally, regular unleaded also hit a record high yesterday of $2.054 a gallon.

Hawai'i residents drive an average of 10,000 miles a year, according to state Department of Transportation spokesman Scott Ishikawa.

"Believe it or not, even on a small island state like ours," he said.

With families on the go all the time, it's not unusual for people to make several trips during the day — to and from work, dropping off and picking up the kids and after-work chores such as grocery shopping and going to the dry cleaners. Weekends usually mean a lot of driving, too, for families.

If you're too busy to drive around to find the cheapest price for gasoline, go to price-tracking Web sites such as GasBuddy.com, which is a free service listing gas prices in many locations, including Hawai'i. Local drivers help each other by entering prices at various gas stations in their neighborhood onto the Web site.

As of yesterday afternoon, the lowest gas price in Ho-nolulu was $2.02 a gallon, found at various locations of Costco, according to GasBuddy.com. Prices generally are cheaper along the Leeward coast. Leeward Petroleum in Wai'anae was selling regular unleaded for $2.03 a gallon yesterday.

Sometimes, the easiest thing you can do is to think twice about buying higher grade gasoline.

Most cars run fine on the cheapest grade and paying more would be a waste of money, said Dave Rolf, executive director of the Hawaii Automobile Dealers Association in Honolulu. Check your owner's manual and follow its recommendation.

Keeping tires properly inflated and your car tuned up can save you big bucks at the pump, said Jeff Goldsmith, general manager of AAA Hawaii.

Regular tune-ups can improve mileage by an average of 4 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Moreover, fixing a faulty oxygen sensor may improve your gas mileage by as much as 40 percent, while replacing a clogged air filter boosts mileage by as much as 10 percent.

Lighten the load in your car. Additional weight can make a difference on gas consumption, Goldsmith said. Some motorists treat their cars as a second storage space, hauling around a surf board on the roof rack every day even though they only surf on the weekend.

Also, drive more slowly. Gas mileage drops if you drive above 60 miles per hour. The U.S. Energy Department said that each 5 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like paying an extra 10 cents per gallon for gas. Aggressive driving, such as speeding, rapid acceleration and braking, lowers gas mileage by about 5 percent in the city and 33 percent on the highways, the agency said.

If possible, arrange to work out of your home part of the week or shift to a four-day work week.

Walk, bike, take the bus or carpool to work.

The state Department of Transportation offers a carpool matching service to help you find commuters in your area with the same work schedule. You could also sign up for Vanpool Hawaii, which costs $55 or $70 a month (depending on the vehicle used) plus gas and parking expenses. The state supplies the vehicle, and between seven to 15 people share commuting costs every month, said executive director Vicki Harris.

For example, gas costs would amount to less than $1 per person a day, assuming the daily round trip commute is 50 miles, the van uses up 17 miles per gallon at $2.20 a gallon and seven people share the vehicle.

Another option is offered by the Leeward O'ahu Transportation Management Association, subsidized by real-estate developers.

The nonprofit organization helps you find carpool partners and also operates an express bus to downtown Honolulu and Waikiki from Waipahu and areas to the north and south including 'Ewa, Kapolei, Mililani and the North Shore. It costs $95 a month for unlimited rides and $55 for 21 one-way trips. If you don't want to buy a multiride package, the cost is $3.50 each way, said manager Mindy Norris.

Both Vanpool Hawaii and LOTMA provide emergency rides home at no cost to the commuter.

Reach Deborah Adamson at dadamson@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8088.

Fuming at high prices?

Here's how to save

1. Check out www.GasBuddy.com for prices at gas stations in your area.
2. Skip premium gasoline if your owner's manual doesn't recommend it. Regular unleaded works for most vehicles.
3. Keep your car in good shape — tires properly inflated and engine tuned up — to improve fuel efficiency.
4. Don't haul extra weight, such as that surfboard you only use on weekends.
5. Avoid aggressive driving — speeding, rapid acceleration and braking — which wastes gas.
6. Telecommute part of the time or change your schedule to work four, 10-hour days a week.
7. If you can, walk, bike or take the bus to work.
8. Check out commuting alternatives:

• The state Department of Transportation offers a carpool matching service. For information, call 692-7695.
• Vanpool Hawaii, which contracts with the state, offers commuter service. Call 596-8267 for details.
• Leeward O'ahu Transportation Management Association offers carpool matching and commuter services. Call 677-7433 for information.