Traveling LESS .. yet still spending MORE?

Home · Classifieds · MyVLT2.com · VolTV2Go.com · Volzeye.com · Desktop Alert

Traveling LESS .. yet still spending MORE?

Topic Author: Stacy McCloud

Posted: 2:25 PM Jun 19, 2008

Replies Posted: 4 comments

Save

del.icio.us

Google

Yahoo

digg

Recent Blog Topics

"Our Town"

Papaw "Cloud"

In Loving Memory

Traveling LESS .. yet still spending MORE?

Stacy's Blog has got it going back on :)

I'm going to write .. but really aren't any words to explain this event

Post Your Comments

Traveling LESS .. yet still spending MORE?

Hey Friends,

I don't know about you all but my way of thinking sure has changed over the past several months when it comes to driving. In the past I would have no problem running back home for lunch if I had the chance, go home after work and hanging out before heading back out to go to the gym or run errands on the other side of town. I would drive out of the way to go to a grocery store I preferred and certainly made many more trips to see family in Campbell County. Now I have to totally plan my day before heading out the door, because I want to see that .. ohhhh .. 60 bucks it takes to fill up my car ... as least as possible!!

I know I'm not alone and the U.S. Department of Transportation is confirming that for me today. They released a report that says that Americans drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles in April of this year (2008) than in April of last year (2007). This has actually held true for the past six months and with each passing month the mileage is dwindling more and more. We drove 400 million miles less than just in March of this year. So overall this means a decline of nearly 20 billion miles traveled this year and nearly 30 billion miles traveled since November.

So what is it?? Are people doing like me and planning travels in order to make fewer trips around town, essentially planning their day more affectively?? Or are they parking their cars all together and taking the route of public transit? Well this study says that transit ridership is indeed on the rise. Which is sparking the Department of Transportation to look into the need for more sustainable and effective ways to fund highway construction and maintenance for highway and transit programs. But there is one problem. If we are driving less, the Transportation Secretary says the federal Highway Trust Fund receives less revenue from gasoline and diesel sales. 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon, respectively. Gotta have the money to get the job done.

Here are my thoughts on public transportation .. I don't use it. I'm not opposed to it by ANY means and I would actually use it if it were more convenient to me. The problem is that I would have quite the walk to the closest bus stop near my house. I could drive my car to the location but I'm not sure I can park my car in that lot for an entire day? But my biggest issue are my work hours. I don't work the typical 9-5 day. Working in news I'm coming in and going home at different times of the day usually. So there are several factors that keep me from the benefits of public transportation. One thing that I think would help a great majority of us, is a public parking lot that can be used for those wanting to use public transportation. We could drive to the closest pick up, park the car and catch the bus. For some people this might already be possible, but for most it is not. I have to say I envy my friend Natalie (the one I mentioned in my last blog that recently moved to St. Louis). She gets to ride her bike to work every single day and it takes her she says about 2 minutes!

I guess all of us driving less has it's perks. We will certainly notice less "congestion" on the roads .. so maybe less road rage!! That and we may get to hit snooze and sleep an extra 10 knowing that traffic won't be as bad!

Let me know what you think. What are you doing differently? Maybe you are even considering moving to be closer to work? Let's help each other out!!

Happy travels to you all ...
Stacy

Posted by: Happy89 Location: knoxville
My secret weapon is my 21speed mountain bike with slik street tires and that usually does it. I average 3-5MPH going up big hills, 10-15MPH on flat roads, 20MPH or more going down hills. (I'm not a pro) if I need a few items at the store I take her and a small backpack to put items in and I'm good! Great way to stay in shape, save gas money but it is kind of risky because here in knoxville we do not have enough side walks but I take short cuts, back roads and parking lots to stay away from main roads and traffic. I ride really early in the morning or wait until the sun goes down a little bit to not ride in the heat because the heat is what makes the ride a little bit more difficut. Riding my bike is just one way to say the oil companies keep your 140.00 dollars a barrel. And sometimes I go visit friends; the money I save on gas is priceless.

Posted by: bill Location: sevierville
i really dont see any answers. i live in a rural area and could move closer to work but if you dont get taken at the pumps you will get taken at the grocery store soon. then what? its an election year so im just gonna ride it out. i have changed my vacation plans to a closer location though. tourism is down here in the smokeys but there is far less traffic to deal with. we can consolidate our trips though. for example we can stop at the store on the way home and not go back out.

Posted by: David Location: Louisville
Because of the high price of gas this year I moved from Jacksboro to Louisville in order to live closer to work and reduce my payout at the pump. I do my shopping on the way home from work whenever possible. Since I live right across the knox county line you can forget abt public transit coming down Alcoa Hwy and turning around at the line. Would love to have a public parking area for knoxtrans pick-up...great idea there Stacy! But at what price would be paid for the extra bus runs and lot security when even the ktrans is calling foul with the price of fuel to run the existing bus routes. I think commuter trains would be the answer like the Bart system in California. However, the start-up costs would be astronomical for even the small size of Knoxville. I think the answer for Knoxville will have to be fuel efficient automobiles (hybrids) but I can't afford one on my salary...Guess I'll have to continue to 'drive less'.

Posted by: Chris Location: Dandridge, TN
Given that I live in a rural area, public transportation isn't feasible. I'm basically doing the same thing you are with taking care of errands in one trip and driving less. I go through about a full tank of gas a week which costs around $30. 7-8 years ago, it was about $10 a week. It takes me longer to get to work than it did then (basically one hour both ways compared to 30 minutes), but I don't do nearly as much running around or going out to places these days. But it isn't that prices are going up as much as the U.S. Dollar has been declining in purchasing power because it is based on debt, not something tangible like gold and silver. Inflation is simply too much money chasing too few goods and services. So what happens when the "money" can be printed out of thin air? Until enough people begin to understand this, we can't even begin to address the underlying issues.