What have you done about fuel prices?

[roofeditor]

This may be a technical or possible political or economic question.

However rather than all of just ranting what have you actually done?

1. Change car/truck to something more efficient?

2. Drive less?

3. Take the Little car instead of the F-350?

4. Now here is the big one. How many of you have written to your congressman or senator asking them to look into the speculation shell game which is actually driving the prices way up. Think about it, you all have a congressman and have a senator so how many of you have actually written or called your guy/gal?

We have done all 4 plus made some major changes in our buildings power. Solar, Natural Gas, 3 layer glass, insulation, the low watt light bulbs. all of which helping SOME.

I do know one guy on this site that is running heating oil in his PU, not a new one a 2006. He claims it runs fine?

BTW the NY home heating oil price in Albany NY is $3.94 today but a year ago it was $2.60 only a 54% change.....hey that;s not bad.

OK guys have to it!

[Bigshow]

This is a good post and I will be watching it closely. I am a farmer and we burn lots of fuel. Fuel is just one of our inputs that is skyrocketing. Phosphate fertilizer has gone from the $400/tonne range to about $1500 over the last few years. We are also price takers in that we dont set the prices for our commodities but rather take what the market gives us and try to grow the crops in the rotation that will be 'in demand'.
We also have one thing that hurts us. With the centralization which occurred over the last 25 or so from our rural area to larger urban centers, everything we need is in one of three cities which are 30, 45, and 60 miles from our farm - there can be lots of trips sometimes. Off-farm employment is also there, resulting in a costly commute for many.
I do not regret selling our small trucking firm a few years ago!

[clamgulch]

Around the first of December I began "telecommuting." Never figured I'd be one for doing that, but it saves me at least $450/month in fuel. I'm transferring to another group and one of the stipulations I made was that I be able to telecommute 3 days a week on a flexible schedule. Management LOVES my plan contrary to what one would normally suppose, because I'll continue working second shift, which is very difficult for them to find volunteers for. The two days a week I do the commute (130 miles round trip) will be fine for now. Second shift traffic is almost non-existent, so I can maintain 21 mpg by not being stuck in traffic (that's in the Lexus, NOT the Excursion, which is still being repowered with a Cummins/Allison package.

I have not contacted my congress critters on the fuel issue- but I've been screaming my lungs out about veterans medical and mental health care.

I am getting ready to read this book on Alaska oil to further educate myself on the subject of oil. There seems to be some enormous discrepancies between what industry says is available vs. what the government says is available.
The Energy Non-Crisis by Lindsey Williams

My cabin in Alaska is built to be energy efficient. There are only 3 windows, strategically placed to absorb light and the spectacular view. There are 3/4" plywood covers over the windows that I'm going to attach 2" blue foam board to for insulation. In July, I plant to raise and insulate the floor and install hydronic heating. I did special corners in the exterior walls that allow insulation around the studs to reduce cold creep, I used spray foam everywhere I could to insulate even the slightest indication of air leaks. I installed can lights in the ceiling 3' in from the 32' long walls, which would be enough to light the place, but in addition I've installed 2'x4' sealed, insulated boxes in the ceiling for bright but energy saving florescent bulbs. I'm also going to install storm doors to keep the heat in.

[Kaliburz]

I never had a small diesel (if you call a 7.3L small) till just a few months ago. I still drive the gas car, and only get 21-23mpg. I have a beater car, but it gets 18-19mpg and the F150 is currently out of tune (13mpg), but I can get 15+ out of it (older F150).

I'm saving up for fuel, so to speak. Safeway has that fuel discount thing and I do most of my shopping there now. When the accumulation period for the $.10 comes due, I get my transfer tank and go buy my $75.00 of fuel or 30 gallons. I'm not looking forward to harvest, as the semi's will gulp fuel. I don't like shutting down while waiting that much, but I will now. I don't have a bulk tank to fill, so I'll have to tank up the trucks and fill the transfer tanks. Unless I get a tank.....

[BigDaddyT]

I moved from the sticks into town and do almost all of my errands on foot. Im on disability so no commuting atm. I have a mazda 626 for a family sedan but I am seriously considering getting a 4 door prius.
I just let go of my mighty max because with a wife and 2 kids it was no longer a feasable alternative. The 6.9 is a bit of a guzzler but I doubt I run 400 dollars a year in fuel thru it.

[Rookie]

We got rid of the wifes Jeep (17 mpg avg) for a Mazda 3 (27 mpg so far) and figure we'll save some there,

I'm still commuting in the 96 (17 mpg avg, 50 miles round trip) but trying to figure out what to get as commuter. I'd have to drive half way to work to pick up a bus, the train stops in downtown Seattle so I'd have to transfer to another bus to Georgetown where I work. They need to put somemore stops in along the tracks for other work areas. We're trying to figure out how to tele-commute.

Instead of hauling the horses out 3 nights a week we're down to one and showing/working them twice a month.

The house furnace sits at 60* and we heat with a pellet stove. And I plan on banking my bush bucks and using it for hay this fall.

[eagleeye]

I bought a smaller car (Jetta) to go back and forth to work in. It gets about 12 mpg better than the truck, plus gas is cheaper as we are all aware. I have talked to my state senator and local state representative and they both said that congress is well aware of the fuel pricing problems, they just couldn't tell me what they are doing about it.

[rwhite1]

I finally took the foot out of it - under 2000 RPM or about 60 - little idle - little brakes & slow take off from lights etc. - jumped to about 16.5 from 13.5 in town
Don't have money for a rice grinder - in school

[WormDrowner]

I drive the car more often and I've cut back my trips towing the boat to the lake(s). I'll also begin making more of those trips overnighters as well.

Unfortunately, I still have a 60 mile r/t to work. It costs me ~$15.87 per day in the truck and ~$7.78 in the car for the round trip.

[MarkEkberg]

I have knocked 10mph off my speedo across the board.

It has jumped my mpg by 3-4.

I drive less, I buy non tax fuel, and I ride my motorcycle now that it is nicer weather.

[luckuslucas]

If the weather's nice, my bike doesn't cost a whole lot to run...

[Dave Whitmer]

I have modified my truck and changed my driving habits to effect a 30% improvement in MPG.

I share what I have found with other TDS guys for free.

I have written my Congresscritters. Handwritten. Send them to my rep and both Senators. At least four letters each, urging them to kick the EPA to the curb and relieve us of the ULSD/Tier II plague and rescind New Source Review.

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by MarkEkberg

I have knocked 10mph off my speedo across the board.

It has jumped my mpg by 3-4.

I drive less, I buy non tax fuel, and I ride my motorcycle now that it is nicer weather.

I was hoping you would bring that one up. Speeding down the road burns a lot
of fuel.

Check this chart out!!! Sort of makes you thing about going faster than 65. I wish it showed 75 to 85 because the curve is falling fast.

http://kec.kansas.gov/chart_book/Cha...onsumption.pdf

[roofeditor]

Originally Posted by Dave Whitmer

I have modified my truck and changed my driving habits to effect a 30% improvement in MPG.

I share what I have found with other TDS guys for free.

I have written my Congresscritters. Handwritten. Send them to my rep and both Senators. At least four letters each, urging them to kick the EPA to the curb and relieve us of the ULSD/Tier II plague and rescind New Source Review.

You have at least contacted your representatives!!!! Good for you

BTW:

What's with the big fonts? I'm 57 but I still don't need glasses for reading or distance!

Not that it bothers me!

[Dave Whitmer]

I compose using Microsoft Word. I also am active at another site that just installed new software and if I don't use a big font it comes out so small I need a magnifying glass. The big font is just a default.