High pump prices make transportation alternatives more attractive

By Meghan Streit
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

Remember back in the good old days when a gallon of gas cost only $2.50? With Chicagoland gas prices back up around $3.00 a gallon, those days seem like a distant memory. Depending on the size of your car and its fuel efficiency, filling up your tank can run you $30 to $70-or more.

Good for the environment–and your wallet
With no relief in sight, many people are trading in their car keys in favor of less expensive transportation.

One low-cost option is public transportation, but it’s not always the most convenient. Catching a bus or a train in suburban or rural areas can mean long walks and lengthy waits in extreme winter and summer temperatures.

Hybrid cars, like the economical Toyota Prius and the Saturn Aura Green Line, run on a combination of gasoline and electric power. The environmentallyfriendly vehicles are becoming increasingly popular because they get much higher gas mileage than a car powered only by gasoline. The Prius gets an impressive 60 miles per gallon, according to hybridcars.com.

Sharing rides is another way to cut fuel expenditures. Even short trips to the grocery store, bank, or other weekly errands can start to add up with gas prices so high. Consider pairing up with a friend or two, and take turns driving.

Leave the car in the garage
Monarch Landing community members can dramatically reduce their transportation costs because so much of what they need is housed under one roof. Amenities like a bank, convenience store, doctor’s office, and salon are just a short indoor walk from their front doors – which means no more logging miles and burning fuel just to run regular errands.

Regular shuttle service to grocery stores and shopping centers also make it convenient for Monarch Landing residents to get where they need to go without paying the price at the gas pump.