Tank 181 - 26 January 2009

The third tank of 2009 served me up with 35.09 miles per gallon. So far
this year, my average fuel economy is 36.47 miles per gallon.

I sort of miss my carpooling, because I can foresee already that I will
be buying more gas this year than last year. Although my overall cost
will likely be less, my requirement for more gas is disturbing because I
know I could use less gas with just a little cooperation from my
friendly coworker.

But there is hope! A new coworker started here and lives nearby as
well. If all goes well, after a month or three we will be able to
discuss ride sharing and maybe start that again.

Tank 180 - 15 January 2009

Well, I am not carpooling as much any more, so I am spending more
commuting time focusing on drafting behind 18-wheelers and coasting down
steep hills. It appears to be working, as this tank took me 424.1 miles
(405.2 miles before the low fuel light came on) on 10.924 gallons,
making for fuel economy of 38.82 miles per gallon. Had I stopped at the
first shutoff click, it'd have been 40 mpg, but that'd have made my next
tank look worse I am sure.

I am pleased with this tank of gas, as normally my fuel economy is low
when it is cold outside. It was 25 degrees when I refueled this
morning. Although my records don't show a huge difference, last January
when it was 26 degrees, that tank gave me 37.92 miles per gallon.
Still, that's about a 2% smaller number.

Next week, a new coworker will be starting, who happens to live in my
neighborhood. Perhaps we will feel comfortable enough with each other
to agree to carpool some times. That would be even better than my
current plan, as in theory I could walk to my neighbor's house to start
the carpool.

But let's not put the cart before the horse here.

2008 vs. 2007: Fewer Tanks, More Money, Less Miles, Slipping Fuel Economy

2008 saw 38 tanks of gas go through the Mighty Corolla, at a rate of one
tank every 10.08 days. This was better than 2007, which saw 41 tanks,
one every 8.54 days.

I also drove almost 1,036 fewer miles in 2008, primarily (I suspect) due
to my carpooling efforts with my friendly coworker. However, I believe
my efforts to not appear as dorky as I truly am caused me to drive
faster than normal with her in the car, so my overall fuel economy for
2008 actually went down 1.27% to 37.39 miles per gallon.

I spent $1,245.79 on gasoline for the Corolla in 2007, a 14.26% increase
in gas over 2007. The average price per gallon was $3.031, marking an
increase of over 23% (just over 50 cents) per gallon.

Lots of people said that high gas prices severely hampered their travel
habits in 2008. My personal experience of paying for gas is that yes, I
spent $155.49 more on gas in this one car during the year. Work that
out to a monthly increase in gas, it's an extra $12.96 spent on gas per
month for this car.

I have made this point before. If people are losing financial control
of their lives over an extra $13.00 a month, then we all are in trouble.

But gas prices are things we look at on a regular basis and some of us
track them extensively, and it's fun to advertise GAS PRICES AVERAGED
OVER 23% HIGHER IN 2008! In real numbers, this is not nearly as scary.

Everyone noticed people driving more slowly in general when gas prices
went over $4.00 a gallon in 2008. But I have noticed a shift back to
the crazy big SUV swerving ways of old now that the gasoline has dropped
in price. Indeed, my carpool buddy has not shared rides with me nearly
as often now that gas is "more affordable" again.

Our future President Obama has announced that he will continue to push
for better fuel economy standards and alternative energy sources, which
I can get on board with. But there seems to be more and more items that
he is declaring "a top priority," and I wonder how many top priorities
there truly can be when he arrives to deliver our change later this
month.

2009 will be an exciting year in many ways.

I have refueled my first tank of 2009 and got 35.49 miles per gallon. I
blame bad weather.

Tank 178 - 29 December 2008

This is a late update that the last tank of 2008 tanked. It was a
measly 33.53 miles per gallon. I don't know why. I am preparing a
better update with comparative 2008 and 2007 numbers for later, and that
should be much more fun.