Fuel-Saving Tips to Stretch Your Vacation Budget
25 May 2000
Fuel-Saving Tips to Stretch Your Vacation Budget'Getting There' Should Be Half the Fun - Not the Expense - Of This Year's Vacation Get-Away SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 23 While this spring's gasoline price spikes irked drivers from Crescent City to San Diego, State experts offered quick assurance that California's tourism trade would probably go unscathed by fuel prices. In fact, vacation trips in California during the peak summer months are forecasted to increase 3.6 percent over last summer, outpacing the nation which is expected to see a 3.3 percent increase. Small wonder. California's reputation as a tourist destination reaches around the world. The State offers vacation and business travelers an unequalled array of world-class sights and sounds. An intricate network of more than 175,000 miles of streets, highways and roads provides millions of visitors a year with convenient access to the State's natural and man-made attractions, such as Yosemite National Park and Disneyland. It's a transportation system so good, in fact, that in 1999, Californians used more than 14.5 billion gallons of gasoline to take advantage of such world-class attractions. As Memorial Day approaches and the Summer 2000 vacation season begins, the California Energy Commission and the California Division of Tourism encourage drivers to assess how gas conservation methods can help them get the most out of their vacation budgets and help preserve the State's environment for generations to come. While the foremost expenditure for tourists is usually lodging, gasoline prices can be a sizeable consideration for automobile travelers. This list of gasoline saving tips from the Energy Commission and the Division of Tourism will help vacationers learn a few simple steps to control their fuel costs. Fuel-Saving Tips for the Vacation Season Most travelers would probably prefer to spend those hard earned vacation dollars on good food, better lodging or entertainment than on wasted gasoline. For this reason, the California Energy Commission and the California Division of Tourism jointly offer the following fuel savings tips. -- Keep tires properly inflated. Low tire pressure reduces gas mileage and causes increased tread wear. -- Turn off your engine if you are stopping for more than 30 seconds. Restarting your car takes less gasoline than idling. -- Remove unused luggage, bicycle or ski racks and other extra weight you may have in your car. -- Have your tires properly balanced. You need to be "in alignment" to get the best gas mileage. -- Plan your trip before you leave. Getting lost or having to "back track" wastes fuel -- and your precious vacation time. -- Use your car's air conditioning prudently. -- Learn more about California's public transportation systems. A train or bus trip might add just the variety you need to liven up that annual trek to the coast or mountains.