Gas Prices Rising: Do I Hear $4.15?

The average price of gasoline in the United States has topped $4 a gallon, and won\'t peak until it hits $4.15 in August, according to the latest government prediction. (The last prediction: Gas would peak at $3.73 in June, so take it with a grain of salt.)

We\'ve seen 11 straight weeks of record price increase.

Oil is threatening to rise to $150 a barrel, according to Goldman Sachs. That\'s 50% higher than the milestone of $100 a barrel that some analysts thought impossible just a few months ago.

Some areas of the country, like California, are already seeing gas prices rise toward $4.50 a gallon.

That has some speculating we\'re in the midst of a bubble bred by greedy speculators. Everyone else is just trying to save a few pennies on gas.

Here are five* road-tested ways to save money on gas. Of course the more gas we save, the less pollution we create, and the less beholden we are to those who control the oil supply.

* Plus one bonus tip (no extra charge).

1. Go Farther on $2: Take Public Transportation

By one estimate, the public transportation system in the United States saves 3.4 billion gallons of oil a year (and cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 26 million tons).

Get your fair share of the savings by looking up the local bus route or climbing on the subway. (After all, as a taxpayer, you\'re already invested.)

Sure, it costs money to take the bus or subway. But consider this: The average U.S. commute is 16 miles, and at these prices the average U.S. passenger car will go just 11 miles on $2, a typical public transit fare. (If you drive a truck or SUV, the equation works out in your favor with an even shorter commute.)

Plus, you\'ll also save your car the wear and tear of driving, which ultimately saves you money on maintenance (a quart of motor oil costs more than it did a year ago, too).

2. Pay $2, $1.33 or Even $1 a Gallon: Carpool

You can cut your gas bills in half, right now. Share your trip to work with one other person and split the bill. That\'s like paying $2 for gas, instead of $4.

Put a third person in the car, and the price per gallon drops to $1.33. With a full car of four people, the cost is just $1 a gallon. Now that sounds like real savings.

If you\'re looking for help getting started, consult with Divide the Ride, eRideShare, RideCheck, Carpool World or other Web-based tools designed to help like-minded people find each other.

3. Pay Nothing: Walk or Bike

Keep your wallet fat and the pocket that holds it loose.

Whenever possible, walk or bike to work or school, or to meet up with friends.

Every mile you pedal or stride saves you gas, saves you money and puts you in better shape. If you trade in a trip in the average car, you\'d save about $1 for every 5 miles you walk or pedal. (Use the money to buy a new umbrella for rainy days, or put it into a savings for a rainy day shopping spree.)

During the hot summer months, though, be sure to check the air quality forecast in your area. Particulates, ozone and other components of smog can make it unhealthy to exercise outdoors on some hot, sunny days, particularly during the evening commute. Those with asthma or other lung or heart ailments are most at risk from breathing polluted air.

4. Pay $1 a Gallon: Buy a Fuel-Efficient Car

If you must drive, replace your gas guzzler with a fuel-efficient model.

The most fuel-efficient 2008 model on the lot, the hybrid Toyota Prius, gets 48 mpg in the city and 45 on the highway. The least fuel-efficient 2008 SUV, the Mercedes-Benz G 55 AMG, gets just 11 and 13, respectively.

In other words, you\'ll go almost four times as far on a tank of gas in the Prius, so the $4 you pay to fill your SUV is like paying $1 in the Prius. Put another way, for one dollar, you\'ll go 12 miles in the Prius, but less than three in the SUV.

If you\'re buying a new car, consult The Daily Green\'s list of the 10 most fuel-efficient 2008 models.

If you\'re in the market for a used car, consult the federal government\'s fueleconomy.gov site, which provides fuel-economy information about most cars, trucks and SUVs on the road.

5. Pay $3.20 a Gallon: Drive Smarter

If all else fails, you can at least drive the car you own to greater fuel-efficiency.

By one estimate, you can improve fuel economy 20% by reversing bad habits. That\'s like spending $3.20 per gallon instead of $4.

The gravy: Changing bad driving habits, and scheduling regular vehicle maintenance, lessens the pollution you cause by burning fossil fuel. That means less smog, less asthma, less acid rain and less of a contribution to global warming. All in all, not a bad outcome from saving a few dimes.

Start by checking your tire pressure and inflating your tires to the appropriate level. Visit your mechanic for a tune-up if you\'re due. Be sure to have your tires aligned, your air filter checked and your oil changed if needed.

When making trips, combine errands so that the trip home from work also includes the trip to the grocery store (and thereby cuts your gas bill in half). When you\'re on the road, drive smoothly, accelerate slowly and don\'t speed. The biggest savings are in your right foot.

For more tips, see The Daily Green\'s 10 Ways to Save 20% on Gas Every Day.

6. Invest in the Future: Support Smart-Growth Planning

Bonus Tip (no extra charge)

This tip won\'t save you a dime today. But it\'s well worth it for what it will save your children and grandchildren.

Gas prices are the most painful for folks in the suburbs, where there\'s often no viable option but to drive from home to school, to work, to the grocery store, etc. Sprawling development gives each family God\'s green acre, but it makes them pay in oil.

It doesn\'t have to be this way.

Legions of planners, advocates and a young generation of home buyers are reinvesting in city and village living. New development can be clustered around existing public transportation infrastructure, integrated with employment, schools and shopping, and connected by sidewalk. Another advantage: This pattern preserves outlying farms, which can supply local food, and nearby forests, where urbanites can take a hike.

Tax money can be used to invest in new public transportation routes. Local laws can be written to counteract sprawl.

If you want to see the next generation have an easier time dealing with high oil prices (and there\'s little reason to expect the price of oil will drop significantly), then start thinking about the bigger picture. Tell your representatives in Congress, the statehouse, at the county commission and town council that it\'s time to build smart.