Web Site of the month: FuelEconomy.gov

FuelEconomy.gov publishes annual Fuel Economy Guides with detailed MPG information about more than 100 cars. (Artwork by FuelEconomy.gov)

Controlling operating costs is an important part of delivering affordable power to ratepayers, so publicly-owned utilities have more than one reason to be alarmed by rising gasoline prices. Businesses can't really cut back on trips—field service calls, in the case of utilities—the way individuals can, but they can learn strategies for reducing gasoline consumption at FuelEconomy.gov.

Jointly maintained by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, FuelEconomy.gov provides accurate mile-per-gallon (MPG) information to consumers. Knowing your vehicle's MPG is only the first step toward maximizing your mileage, however, so the Web site covers much more. "Your Mileage Will Vary" explains why EPA ratings don't always match real world mileage and, most importantly, offers tips for moving your own car closer to the EPA average.

Good for utilities and C&I customers

Gas Mileage Tips is likely to be the site's most useful page for utilities, and for commercial and industrial (C&I) customers. It never hurts to remind drivers and field crews about safe and efficient driving habits, practices that save gas as well as lives. The fuel economy savings from observing the speed limit ranges from seven to 23 percent. Gentle acceleration and braking can save another five to 33 percent on the price of a gallon of gas. Idling gets zero miles to the gallon, and cars—or service trucks—with larger engines waste more gas idling.

The rest of the tips may have limited application for service vehicles, but could improve mileage for company cars used for attending meetings, running errands or visiting member systems. You can also pass the tips on to C&I customers whose businesses require a lot of driving, but who haven't had access to the safety training utility staff often receive.  

Employees who practice efficient driving in their own cars are more likely to bring their habits to work, so a little competition might help to encourage them. "Your MPG" lets visitors calculate and track their own fuel economy to compare with EPA test ratings, and with other drivers.  Registered users can save their MPG data to see how changing their driving habits can change their mileage. The section also provides a template for keeping accurate fuel purchase records.

Other gas-saving measures

Most businesses with a fleet of vehicles understand the importance of keeping your car in shape. Having figures handy to back up your maintenance program is certainly helpful, though, especially at budget time.

Also helpful for fleet budgets is the "Gasoline Prices" section, with links to national, state and local price data. Use the national map to locate the cheapest gallon of gas in your area. The information is provided by the AAA Club and the Energy Information Administration. You can also download a copy of the detailed Fuel Economy Guide.

When the time comes to replace an old, gas-guzzling fleet vehicle with a new, high-efficiency model, visitors can find and compare cars by make, model and year. The searchable database covers the years 1985 to 2009, and has a side-by-side comparison feature to help with decision-making. There is even MPG data for vehicles that run on ethanol, biofuel, natural gas, diesel and electricity. The "Best and Worst MPG" tables cover trucks, vans and SUVs, as well as passenger cars.

Phasing out gasoline

In the long run, advances in transportation technology could make concerns about gasoline prices as obsolete as the horse and carriage. Hybrids and other alternatives are already available to agencies that are looking to build the "fleet of the future."

Municipalities and cooperatives may not be able to take advantage of tax incentives, but business customers might appreciate learning about incentives from their key account representatives.

And just for fun, staff engineers are sure to be intrigued by the Extreme MPG page. News of world fuel-efficiency records and super-mileage competitions may inspire them to come up with their own answer to petroleum-based transportation. Imagine eliminating your budget for gasoline entirely, and becoming the world's first utility with an all-solar service fleet.

Resources

FuelEconomy.gov

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Environmental Protection Agency

Your Mileage Will Vary

Gas Mileage Tips

Your MPG

Keeping Your Car in Shape

Gasoline Prices

National map gas station locator

Resources (cont.)

AAA Club

Energy Information Administration

Fuel Economy Guide

Find and Compare Cars

Best and Worst MPG

Hybrids and other alternatives

Tax Incentives

Extreme MPG

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