Automobiles
Cars
When Buying:
- Consider buying a hybrid or electric car to reduce fuel usage, decrease pollution, and lessen your carbon footprint. Learn more about the efficient car types here.
- Keep in mind that purchasing an all-electric or plugin-in hybrid vehicle may make you eligible for a significant tax credit, which greatly reduces the overall cost of the car.
Tips for Use:
- Keep your car well-maintained and tires properly inflated to improve your fuel efficiency by up to 4%.
- Clean out unnecessary cargo and avoid carrying items on your roof to lighten the burden on your vehicle and increase fuel efficiency.
- Accelerate and decelerate smoothly. Rapid acceleration and rapid braking can increase fuel consumption by 10% to 40%.
- Speeding decreases your car’s efficiency. Each 5 mph you drive over 50 mph reduces your fuel economy by about 7% to 14%.
- Use cruise control on the highway to maintain speed and save gas.
Public Transportation
Tips for Use:
- Carpool or participate in ride share programs. Cut your fuel costs in half, reduce wear on your car, and take advantage of High Occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes.
- Walk if possible or ride a bike, bus, or train. Benefits include more exercise, saving money, cutting emissions, and avoiding parking.
- Support investments in public transportation in your community. Investments in public transportation decrease fuel consumption, increase property values, and create jobs.
- All Mainecard holders can ride the Community Connector for free! The University also operates a free local bus service, the Black Bear Orono Express.
