‘Green’ Driving Practices Save Money

Cheap gas prices have encouraged RVers to hit the highways this summer. The price of a gallon of regular unleaded hovered at a relatively comfortable $2.63 a gallon at the beginning of July, according to AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report. That’s an average $1.50 less per gallon than we were paying last year, but it can still make for a hefty charge when you’re filling up the tank on a Class A motorhome. More RVers are adopting “green” driving techniques to maximize fuel savings and keep gas charges low.

Promoted by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, EcoDriving USA offers tips to help RVers and other motorists save money at the pump and reduce their carbon footprints by up to 15%. Here are some of our favorite tips.

> Turn off your engine while you’re waiting at the curb while mom runs in to pick up a gallon of milk. You can save half a gallon of fuel for every hour spent idling.

> Remain calm while driving. You can increase fuel economy by as much as 33% by avoiding rapid starts and stops and driving less aggressively.

>Slow down. Sit back and enjoy the scenery; after all, isn’t that one of the reasons you RV? Gas mileage diminishes quickly at speeds above 60 mph. Every 5 mph over 60 will cost you the equivalent of 20 cents more per gallon of gas.

>Pump up. Check tires often and keep them inflated to manufacturer’s specifications. Properly inflated tires can boost RV mileage by 3.3%.