Gas prices are through the roof in WA. Here are five things you can do to use less fuel
As gas prices continue to soar upward with show no signs of slowing, finding ways to cut back on gasoline usage could help you save hundreds of dollars.
Here are five simple things you can do to use less gas, and save money during the gas price increase:
1. Use public transportation
Public transportation such as buses, trains and link light rail systems can help use less gas and save you money.
The Sound Transit light rail system provides transportation between Everett and Tacoma and is currently expanding its reach. Prices for the Sound Transit link light rail range between $2.25 to $3.50 depending on the length of the ride.
Bus systems such as the King County Metro, Pierce Transit, Whatcom Transportation Authority and more across the state make traveling without your car easy and fast. Bus fares usually cost around $2.00, but vary by city. In Olympia the buses are free. Check with your local city and county websites for bus transportation offerings.
Trains such as Amtrak can also cut down on using your car. Amtrak travels nationwide, but has stations in cities such as Bellingham, Monroe, Tacoma, Seattle, Olympia, Vancouver and more. Trains run on weekdays and weekends.
2. Have groceries and other items delivered to your house
Since long before the COVID-19 pandemic, services such as DoorDash, Instacart, UberEats and more have been delivering meals, groceries and almost anything you can think of to your house quickly and easily. Stores such as Walmart and Safeway also have delivery service. Instead of using your car and driving to multiple stores, use these services who are already using their own transportation to pick up your dinner, favorite cereal, new clothes, office supplies and more. Don’t need your items in a rush? Amazon and other online shopping platforms can also save you a trip to the store.
3. If you do drive, drive wisely to use less gas
According to a State Farm article, there are simple decisions you can make with your car to be more fuel-efficient. First, by taking care of your car maintenance such as oil changes you can increase fuel efficiency. By rotating your tires and keeping them properly inflated and having routine maintenance done, you can increase your mileage and help your care run more efficiently. Making changes to how you drive your vehicle can also help you use less gas. Driving at moderate speeds, breaking gently, not idling, and not accelerating quickly can decrease your gas use.
4. Walk, bike, skate, etc.
Instead of driving somewhere, consider whether it a distance that could be walked or biked. Choosing to walk, skateboard, bike or other human-powered options decreases overall gas use and is healthier. As your commute times will likely increase, you can use map services such as Google Maps that estimate travel times by driving, walking, or biking.
5. Carpool
Carpooling and ride-sharing are great ways to limit your gas use. Carpooling with co-workers to the office, taking only one car on a road trip or using one car on group outings with friends can cut down extensively on gas usage and save money by splitting the cost of gas between multiple people. Using apps such as Lyft and Uber may cost more per ride, but they allow you to cut back on your own gas usage. In addition, rideshare apps also allow carpools with other customers going in the same direction, decreasing the amounts of cars on the road.
