Meeting-goers traveling by car this summer will
pay the steepest gasoline prices in U.S. history. As the nationwide
average per-gallon cost of unleaded soars well past $2, planners
can save their attendees money by sharing the following advice.
Carpool. Now might be the best time to fill
those seven passenger seats in the SUV. According to the U.S.
Department of Energy’s Smart Communities Project, carpooling is the
easiest way to reduce automobile pollution and conserve energy.
Go online. Websites such as www.gasbuddy.com
help consumers find stations selling the cheapest fuel in their
area.
Maintain your vehicle. Car expert Bobby Likis,
host of the Car Clinic Network radio show, advises using 10W-30
motor oil or lighter unless it says otherwise in the vehicle’s
manual and making sure tire pressure is at least 35 pounds per
square inch. Also, avoid higher-priced, high-octane fuel unless the
vehicle requires it; these fuels cause more air pollution and can
overwork a car’s catalytic converter, says Likis.