TRANSPORTATION NEWS

SAVE A BUCK: DON'T WARM UP YOUR CAR

Your car's engine doesn't need to warm up for several minutes before driving. That might have been good advice for yesteryear's cars, but modern engines warm up more quickly when they're driven. And the sooner they warm up the sooner they reach maximum efficiency so they can deliver the best fuel economy and performance.

Remember that it's best not to rev up the engine over the first few miles while it's warming up. One way to save money on gas is to buy it at an independent station. The price will be a little lower and the gas is just as good.

There's no need to buy premium gas unless you have a sports car or luxury car. If the owner's manual says it's "recommended," you can probably use regular gasoline. If it says it's "required," fill up with premium.

WINTER SAFETY TIPS FROM PENSKE TRUCK LEASING:

Remember the 3 P’s: Prepare, Protect, Prevent.

Each year, Penske Truck Leasing offers winter driving tips to help drivers prepare for wintry weather.
If you are traveling during winter weather Penske recommends the three Ps:

PREPARE your vehicle: Do a proper pretrip inspection to make sure all systems are working properly. Clear snow and ice from all windows, hood and roof. Don’t forget the trailer.

Make sure all lights on the vehicle, inside and out, are working properly. Road salt and winter sludge tend to cover lights reducing visibility. Clean headlights and tail lights frequently when it's snowing.

PROTECT yourself: Use extra caution when traveling across bridges and overpasses. Listen to weather reports and allow extra time to reach your destination.

Stock your vehicle with basic supplies like warm clothing, blankets, flashlights, extra food, bottled water, road flares and a first aid kit. Be aware of wind conditions and their effect on load weight. Keep your tank full. A half-full tank can lead to water condensation in the fuel line.

PREVENT crashes: Avoid fatigue. Get plenty of rest before a trip and take breaks.

Increase your distance between other vehicles on the road and leave plenty of room for stopping. Slow down and reduce speed by 50 percent on slick surfaces.

FEWER OF US ARE DRIVING TO WORK SOLO

High gas prices may have accomplished what environmentalists could not: getting more people to stop driving to work alone.

The share of people driving alone to work has dropped in two-thirds of all 200 metro areas. It's a small trend but a significant one. According to USA Today, in one third of metro areas more people are sharing the commute. While ride sharing may be a response to high gas prices there are some plus sides, says Eddie Caine, who heads the van pool program for Valley Metro, the Phoenix transportation agency. Quoted in USA Today, Caine says "Once people try van pooling they tend to enjoy not having the stress, saving money and making friends."

The American Public Transportation Association reported the sixth consecutive quarterly increase in ridership in the second quarter of 2012.

RAPID TRANSIT BUSES ARE MORE LIKE TRAINS, CAN SKIP THE RED LIGHTS

Big cities across the United States are sending new sleek and spacious buses onto selected routes. They have amenities like light rail trains. Some of their attractions are:

• Minimal stops, and in some cases, bus only lanes to keep vehicles from getting stopped in traffic.
  
  
  
• They have off-bus ticketing which allows passengers to board at three or four different doors saving time.
  
  
  
• Curb level boarding ensures the height of the curb matches the bus floor so riders don't have to use stairs.
  
  
  
• Some have signal priority transmitters to hold a green light long enough for them to get through the intersection. The system can change a red light to green as a bus approaches.
  
  
  
• Rapid transit buses in Los Angeles have bike racks on the front of the bus. In Las Vegas they include racks to stow bikes inside.
  
  
  
• Some buses include seats that face the aisle rather than the front providing more leg room and wider aisles.
  
  
  
• Many buses offer free Wi-Fi for riders. In San Jose, Calif., buses have overhead reading lights.
  
  
  
• Rapid transit systems vehicles have an aerodynamic exterior design that looks more like a train.
  
  
  
• Cities don't want the new vehicles to be called buses. Seattle calls its fleet "RapidRide"; Kansas City buses have a big "MAX" painted on them standing for Metro Area Express. Cleveland calls them "BRT." Cleveland system boss Joseph Calabrese says, "It's not a bus, it's a rapid transit vehicle."

QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH SHOULD THEY CHARGE FOR A CHARGE?

The owners of about 50,000 electric cars in the United States are getting a great bargain on charging their cars. Public charging is often free, but that could soon change.

Companies and cities installing electric charger systems, often with federal subsidies, want to get their networks up and running well before setting per hour fees. As companies begin collecting fees the most common approach will be to bill customers by the length of time spent charging or by a monthly subscription fee rather than the amount of electricity dispensed.

Electric vehicle experts at the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto, California say a typical plug-in car can take in 3.3 kilowatt hours of electricity an hour which presently costs 30 to 50 cents. That means a price of $1 to $2 an hour is fair. According to the Institute, anything above $2 an hour is more expensive than gasoline.

Some providers are skipping the whole per hour calculations and charging by the month for unlimited access. NRG Energy, Inc. charges $39 a month for unlimited access at public chargers. The price is $89 a month for unlimited use of fast public chargers and for a slower 240 volt home charger.

The Electric Power Institute projects that, within three or four years, there could be four times as many electric vehicles on American roads as there are now.

Viappy / Shutterstock.com

TRAVEL NEWS: DELTA MAKES NEW YORK'S LA GUARDIA ITS HUB

La Guardia Airport has long been a primary, but delay plagued gateway to New York City handling 24 million passengers a year with just two runways, overcrowded terminals, gates and taxiways. Delta recently acquired landing slots and gates at LaGuardia from US Airways then it added more than 100 additional flights a day, switched some flights to larger planes and began building a hub.

You might excuse frequent fliers from wondering if the new influx of flights will create a tangle that can't be undone. So far it hasn't. Delta had 81 percent of its flights arrive on time, better than average for the airport and better than United, JetBlue or Southwest.

OLDER RIDERS CAN STILL FIND A MOTORCYCLE THAT SUITS THEM

If you've given up your big hog, but still long for the biking experience, you can make changes to a bike that will make it easier to handle. That's what Jim Boles says on chuckhawks.com.

Most older riders have ridden the big bikes like Harleys and BMWs. They don't want to switch to a smaller bike, but they don't want to give up their sport either. Boles says the ideal bike for seniors is a lightweight (375-490 pounds) motorcycle with a low center of gravity. Older riders report the most common problems in those 65+ were strength and endurance. They were less able to pick up a fallen bike or to hold up one as it was falling over.

Aging joints might also make it a problem to get on and off a bike. A low adjustable seat (between 26 and 29 inches) is an option you can order that works well for seniors. Installing lower shocks and adjustable handlebars can also make climbing onto the beast easier. Cruisers like Goldwings are often the next stop of senior cycle enthusiasts. The Goldwing trike is stable and easy to slide off and on.

What is the future of standard motorcycles with options good for seniors? According to Boles, no standard cycle really measures up to needs for seniors. Some have adjustable handlebars and others have adjustable seats, but none are low enough to ensure easy climb-on.

By the way, seniors appear to be just as safe driving motorcycles as middle aged drivers. Recent studies show experienced senior riders don't have any more accidents than other mature riders.

© 2013 TLC Magazine Online, Inc.