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Scout333
06-27-2008, 10:29 AM
Hello Fellow Travelers, Another tip that works for government employees, especially those who travel, work 4 - 10 hour days! Saves gas for one trip per week to the office if working in the office. More efficient for work days if you are traveling an hour or two to your job sites. More work time on the job! Saves Uncle travel reimbursement, one less day a week mileage reimbursement. Personally, it gives you a week day to do your honey dos and still have a couple of weekend days to have fun. I've been on this schedule for two years and I love it. Not for everyone but a good option, especially with gas so high!

Frixxxx
06-27-2008, 10:32 AM
Hello Fellow Travelers, Another tip that works for government employees, especially those who travel, work 4 - 10 hour days! Saves gas for one trip per week to the office if working in the office. More efficient for work days if you are traveling an hour or two to your job sites. More work time on the job! Saves Uncle travel reimbursement, one less day a week mileage reimbursement. Personally, it gives you a week day to do your honey dos and still have a couple of weekend days to have fun. I've been on this schedule for two years and I love it. Not for everyone but a good option, especially with gas so high!

Or just get a motorcycle....1/3 the gas, 10 times the fun....

Oh wait...I'm in So California...It's alright...you can hate me!:cool:

roskopfm
06-27-2008, 08:11 PM
My gas saving tip is get a government job that pays you to drive to work. Many of us in my department go to non goverment offices that switch on a regular basis and we get mileage every day to go to work (except when we go to our goverment office (which is very seldom). I love that extra cash at the end of each month.

alevin
06-28-2008, 12:00 AM
Hey all, here's my idea. Many of us AgDept types actually live and work in small towns. I'm 3 miles from my office, tho have to come in on a highway from outside town limits. I have a bum foot, so walking is not a great option, but I can do it maybe 1x/week, was thinking I'd get the old bod back in shape enough to bike at least 1 day/week as well (my past excuses have been heat (100degrees July-August, and traffic patterns ugly for bicyclists-small town traffic not as bicycle-aware as some larger towns this part of the world). Thinking of starting my 2x/week walk/bike plan no later than midsummer or as soon as gas hits $4.50-which it likely will by midJuly, I'm betting, based on current prices.

Hallatauer
06-30-2008, 12:00 PM
My gas saving tip is get a government job that pays you to drive to work. Many of us in my department go to non goverment offices that switch on a regular basis and we get mileage every day to go to work (except when we go to our goverment office (which is very seldom). I love that extra cash at the end of each month.

Hmmm... you're not savings gas... you're getting reimbursed for the gas you use. <shrug>

Scout333
06-30-2008, 01:45 PM
Hmmm... you're not savings gas... you're getting reimbursed for the gas you use. <shrug>

Also, think of the wear and tear on your vehicle! I commuted 200 mi RT for 1 and 1/2 years on a detail. Put over 40,000 miles on my truck. Before I found out I could have gotten a rental car:( Now there's a money saving idea for you. i.e. Rent the car and put the gas on your gov. credit card). It actually is cheaper for the government than mileage reimbursement if you rent the car by the week and drive over 120 mi RT. Oh well, live and learn!

Eagle_Addict
06-30-2008, 05:30 PM
Or just get a motorcycle....1/3 the gas, 10 times the fun....

Oh wait...I'm in So California...It's alright...you can hate me!:cool:

How can I hate your 4.69 a gallon gas?? And your traffic congestion, and the lack of etiquette by your drivers, and motorcycles that split lanes, just itching for a car door to open in stopped traffic?!?!?!?!?!?

Enjoy the ride!!

EA

Frixxxx
02-22-2011, 07:03 PM
Move outta California!:mad:

$4 Gasoline? Definitely in California, but Maybe Not for Everyone Else

Story (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/4-Gasoline-Definitely-in-cnbc-508861771.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=)

Leave now, before you can't afford a U-haul!:blink:

PessOptimist
02-22-2011, 09:43 PM
Move outta California!:mad:

$4 Gasoline? Definitely in California, but Maybe Not for Everyone Else

Story (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/4-Gasoline-Definitely-in-cnbc-508861771.html?x=0&sec=topStories&pos=main&asset=&ccode=)

Leave now, before you can't afford a U-haul!:blink:


If you do, please please go to NV or OR.

PessOptimist
02-22-2011, 09:47 PM
Not you Frixxxx, you can come east. Beers on me.

James48843
02-22-2011, 10:06 PM
Don't use gasoline.


http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/how-e85-ethanol-flex-fuel-works-2.jpg

ArchAngel
02-22-2011, 10:52 PM
Trading in my 20 mpg Ford Ranger for 37 mpg Focus next week! Then I'll just buy an old farm truck for when I need it.

WorkFE
02-23-2011, 07:05 AM
Double A,
My father just bought the 2011 Focus about 2 weeks ago for their around town car. He has not owned a Ford in about 35 years but fell in love with the quality of my wifes new Taurus.
I will try to get his feed back this week on what he thinks of it. I do know he is thrilled with the sync technology.
Also compare the 2011 and the upcoming 2012. I know there are some changes in the works according to my ford magazine.

FAB1
02-23-2011, 07:21 AM
Don't use gasoline.


http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/how-e85-ethanol-flex-fuel-works-2.jpg


Dont worry, the price of Corn-Squeezins for your car will be going up as well while it slowly destroys your engine.

crws
02-23-2011, 07:40 AM
If you do, please please go to NV or OR.

C'mon up, Frixxxx, OR is always looking for new income tax revenue. :laugh:

James48843
02-23-2011, 08:27 AM
Dont worry, the price of Corn-Squeezins for your car will be going up as well while it slowly destroys your engine.


Yesteday the price of corn fell .30 cents- the limit- and ethanol fell 7 cents. The House, on friday night, slipped an amendment into the budget bill, preventing the EPA from allowing E15 fuel. The EPA had approved it a few weeks back based on the science saying it would work fine in vehicles 2001 through the present.

With the amendment in the bill slipped in by republicans, the price of ethanol is crashing, and the price of gasoline is climbing. Now at a significant advantage for ethanol already, it's about to get way, way better.

Flex-fuel engines operate just fine on ethanol, thank you. I have 140,000 thousand miles on mine so far, and it runs just fine.

FAB1
02-23-2011, 08:48 AM
Flex-fuel engines operate just fine on ethanol, thank you. I have 140,000 thousand miles on mine so far, and it runs just fine.

Enjoy it-but its poison to a real engine like an LT1.
We will be drilling soon enough. the Green energy is MIA.

driz
02-23-2011, 09:26 AM
Yesteday the price of corn fell .30 cents- the limit- and ethanol fell 7 cents. The House, on friday night, slipped an amendment into the budget bill, preventing the EPA from allowing E15 fuel. The EPA had approved it a few weeks back based on the science saying it would work fine in vehicles 2001 through the present.

With the amendment in the bill slipped in by republicans, the price of ethanol is crashing, and the price of gasoline is climbing. Now at a significant advantage for ethanol already, it's about to get way, way better.

Flex-fuel engines operate just fine on ethanol, thank you. I have 140,000 thousand miles on mine so far, and it runs just fine.


I'll give you that one with the E-15 working ok for the newer stuff. On the other hand what about those of us driving older stuff like my 95 Honda Civic. Myself personally can thank my current and future level of prosperity on driving old cars and keeping them going myself for the most part. I plow all that car payment and extra insurance money right into my TSP. I know I am the unusual case but still there is a large segment of us out there especially these days who value those old cars.
The worst part of it is habitually the way Uncle Sam tends to stick up our posterior here in the land of the "not as free as we think". All you have to do is look at Unleaded and the old car mess that followed that one. They asked the Germans to go to it and offered a significant savings in the sales tax of new vehicles if they got them equipped for no lead, you know the choice they gave us while they gave a waiver to the Japanese cars for a few years. Remember those crappy 70's American junkers? I do all too well. My fear is that (as in the past) these clowns will take a good thing and ruin it by some all encompassing rule. You will recall how the EPA study found unleaded of no consequence to older cars while Consumer Union found it to take out the soft valve seats in 10K miles. Gee, the government lied to us for the very first time:rolleyes:. I hope I am wrong but history tends to support my theory I am afraid.
One thing most of you guys couldn't know is that it's a PITA for the oil companies to make this stuff up. I talk to the guys who fill the stations regularly. They actually have to take regular and ethanol both straight and mix it like a milk shake at the fuel rack where they fill the oil trucks that service the stations. That's how it is here in Northern NY, it may vary elsewhere somewhat. Those trucks only have 4 or 5 compartments so it leads me to think if it's going to be E 15 then that's all it's going to be period just for logistical and practical reasons.
Anyways, I just thought I would toss that perspective out there. I can rig mine to deal with it or get something newer but I would sure feel sorry for the poor slob trying to survive on unemployment ect whose old only source of transportation died. Walmart door greeters can't exactly afford new cars the trade in for old bombs would tank just like big luxury cars and SUV's did in 2007 - 08.
I bet Monsanto's lobbying hard for this though. Being the new kids on the oil company roster their horse is in the race.

ArchAngel
02-23-2011, 12:45 PM
Double A,
My father just bought the 2011 Focus about 2 weeks ago for their around town car. He has not owned a Ford in about 35 years but fell in love with the quality of my wifes new Taurus.
I will try to get his feed back this week on what he thinks of it. I do know he is thrilled with the sync technology.
Also compare the 2011 and the upcoming 2012. I know there are some changes in the works according to my ford magazine.
We've actually had a Focus before and loved it. Only reason we got rid of it was simply because of size - not a family car. But now that we have the larger crossover grocery getter, it's time to part with my beloved truck (that I said I'd never get rid of until the frame rusted out) in favor of an econobox gas-sipper. Not going brand new, got my eyes on a loaded '07 with only 25k miles on it for 10 grand. :D

Valkyrie
02-23-2011, 01:37 PM
your E85 is a terrible crime pushed on the amercian people. Its a negative fuel for an IC engine and always will be, no matter what spin the proponets say including the oil companies that profit from it. Doesn't matter how much u greenies want it to be good, basic physics and chemistry say other wise which trumps the greenies emotional feel good wants and feelings. Its all about money.

http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/e85-vs-gasoline-comparison-test.html

Our preliminary E85 fuel economy estimates came out 20-25 percent lower than the Tahoe's 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway rating on gasoline.

cleaner air another joke,
"The difference came out in E85's favor, but only by a scant 0.5 percent. Call it a tie. This is certainly not the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions we had been led to expect."

and add in the more trips to fill up which include start and stop, mpg goes down either further and emissions go up even higher.

Buster
02-23-2011, 01:48 PM
your E85 is a terrible crime pushed on the amercian people. Its a negative fuel
Our preliminary E85 fuel economy estimates came out 20-25 percent lower than the Tahoe's 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway rating on gasoline.


So to put in simpler terms..

You may pay less per gallon at the pump for Ethanoil, but you'll be back more often to fill up, because your mileage will suck...So acutally you will be spending more over the course of a driving month or year.

Did I get that right?

James48843
02-23-2011, 03:02 PM
So to put in simpler terms..

You may pay less per gallon at the pump for Ethanoil, but you'll be back more often to fill up, because your mileage will suck...So acutally you will be spending more over the course of a driving month or year.

Did I get that right?

In a 2007 Tahoe, that's right. 20% fewer miles per gallon. That's because a 2007 Tahoe is built and designed with gasoline in mind. It's not optimized for ethanol. 12 MPG? Well, a Tahoe certainly isn't the environmetnally concious's first choice of vehicles there, is it?


Do the same test with a new Turbo Buick Regal. The engine in a turbo Buick Regal is a direct-injected turbo-charged setup, that expereince has shown gets about 5% fewer miles per gallon, not 20% fewer miles per gallon. That's a lot better all the way around.


If the price of ethanol is 15% cheaper, then you'd need a 15% drop in MPG or less in order to make it financially better off out of your pocket.

But there is more at stake than just what is costs out of your pocket.

When you buy gasoline, you are sending your money from your back pocket, into the bank account of the oil companies, and ultimatly into the bank account of Osama bin Laden and his buddies. Or at least a portion of it.

When you buy E85, you are putting most of that money into the pockets of American farmers instead.


Your choice- who do you want your money going to?

Middle-east Shieks?

Or Mid-west farmers?

WorkFE
02-23-2011, 03:32 PM
Your choice- who do you want your money going to?

Middle-east Shieks?

Or Mid-west farmers?

Middle-east Shieks might not be gettin shiek once all the protesting is over.:nuts:

alevin
02-23-2011, 03:51 PM
I'll give you that one with the E-15 working ok for the newer stuff. On the other hand what about those of us driving older stuff like my 95 Honda Civic. Myself personally can thank my current and future level of prosperity on driving old cars and keeping them going myself for the most part. I plow all that car payment and extra insurance money right into my TSP. I know I am the unusual case but still there is a large segment of us out there especially these days who value those old cars.

if it's going to be E 15 then that's all it's going to be period just for logistical and practical reasons.

Anyways, I just thought I would toss that perspective out there. I can rig mine to deal with it or get something newer but I would sure feel sorry for the poor slob trying to survive on unemployment ect whose old only source of transportation died. .

Totally agree w/you Driz. My 1995 nissan pu has srved me well for past 11 years. I need reliable transportation too, and have been plowing $ not spent on car payments into tsp, home insulation and a new roof last year. I'm not ready to buy another vehicle, dont want to, dont need to. I wont use E15 in my rig as it is for fear of damage that would strand me somewhere far from home-its a long ways between towns out here.

It it goes E85 way, i'll be knockin on your thread asking how/what to retrofit.

Minnow
02-23-2011, 04:31 PM
http://www.stochasticgeometry.ie/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/snakeoil.jpg?w=257

Ethanol is CHEAP!!! CHEAP!!! CHEAP!!! .... and good for you, too!!!

Scout333
02-23-2011, 04:38 PM
Enjoy it-but its poison to a real engine like an LT1.
We will be drilling soon enough. the Green energy is MIA.

Ethanol is really tough on boat motors, lawn tractors, etc. My boat mechanic says its the effect on gaskets (eats them up) not so much the effect on the motors. If you try you can still find no-ethanol gas in our area. He believes its worth the effort.

Valkyrie
02-23-2011, 04:48 PM
In a 2007 Tahoe, that's right. 20% fewer miles per gallon. That's because a 2007 Tahoe is built and designed with gasoline in mind. It's not optimized for ethanol. 12 MPG? Well, a Tahoe certainly isn't the environmetnally concious's first choice of vehicles there, is it?


Do the same test with a new Turbo Buick Regal. The engine in a turbo Buick Regal is a direct-injected turbo-charged setup, that expereince has shown gets about 5% fewer miles per gallon, not 20% fewer miles per gallon. That's a lot better all the way around.


If the price of ethanol is 15% cheaper, then you'd need a 15% drop in MPG or less in order to make it financially better off out of your pocket.

But there is more at stake than just what is costs out of your pocket.

When you buy gasoline, you are sending your money from your back pocket, into the bank account of the oil companies, and ultimatly into the bank account of Osama bin Laden and his buddies. Or at least a portion of it.

When you buy E85, you are putting most of that money into the pockets of American farmers instead.


Your choice- who do you want your money going to?

Middle-east Shieks?

Or Mid-west farmers?

so u are the liberal type that only reads or hears what u want to, so u can stay with the liberal/communist agenda.
from the link it was a vehicle designed for E85
"Using a flexible-fuel 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe LT (http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/tahoe/2007/long-term-test-2007-chevrolet-tahoe-lt.html)"

and it takes plenty of diesel fuel and motor oil to make that corn, so if u don't want your money going to the shieks and oil companies u better stop driving all together. just about all of the clothing on your back and all the plastic u use, like the computer u use everyday is made from oil. so stop living and move back to the 1700 to 1800s to avoid what u propose. Please stop being so clueless. :(

http://www.zuko.com/Inexplicable/Thought_Provoking_Ethanol.asp

nnuut
02-23-2011, 06:00 PM
Need I say more?:suspicious:

10658
http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redirectto=http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/index.asp

Afishegg
02-23-2011, 06:47 PM
so u are the liberal type that only reads or hears what u want to, so u can stay with the liberal/communist agenda.
from the link it was a vehicle designed for E85
"Using a flexible-fuel 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe LT (http://www.insideline.com/chevrolet/tahoe/2007/long-term-test-2007-chevrolet-tahoe-lt.html)"

and it takes plenty of diesel fuel and motor oil to make that corn, so if u don't want your money going to the shieks and oil companies u better stop driving all together. just about all of the clothing on your back and all the plastic u use, like the computer u use everyday is made from oil. so stop living and move back to the 1700 to 1800s to avoid what u propose. Please stop being so clueless. :(

http://www.zuko.com/Inexplicable/Thought_Provoking_Ethanol.asp

I agree...(except for calling him a liberal with a communist agenda.) Everything (it seems) that we use in our everyday lives uses oil somewhere in its manufacture process. This world is totally dependant on oil, and after umpteen decades building our entire way of life/systems around it, the call in the last few years to "ALL OF A SUDDEN" move away from "oil" seems to me to be very illogical and unreasonable call to heed; HOW!?!?, are you gonna undo decades and decades of dependancy on oil in a few years (even 20 years is very short minded) I honestly think we are going to face some very hard days ahead before we could ever move to another "system".....it just AINT THAT EASY, ...as they say.

Buster
02-23-2011, 06:58 PM
I agree...(except for calling him a liberal with a communist agenda.) .


What was it, the "Agenda" part?:laugh:

Valkyrie
02-24-2011, 09:06 AM
I agree...(except for calling him a liberal with a communist agenda.) Everything (it seems) that we use in our everyday lives uses oil somewhere in its manufacture process. This world is totally dependant on oil, and after umpteen decades building our entire way of life/systems around it, the call in the last few years to "ALL OF A SUDDEN" move away from "oil" seems to me to be very illogical and unreasonable call to heed; HOW!?!?, are you gonna undo decades and decades of dependancy on oil in a few years (even 20 years is very short minded) I honestly think we are going to face some very hard days ahead before we could ever move to another "system".....it just AINT THAT EASY, ...as they say.

That is not what I wrote or wanted to imply, I wrote that he is a liberal type, "Following" the liberal/communist and one can add marxist/socialist agenda. Just another confuse american who has never studied the papers the founding fathers wrote and their own comments.

modified my 4x4 truck so now it gets 22-23 hwy verses epa rated 19 hwy.
commute on my motorcycle 25F plus weather as long as there is no ice/snow or heavy rain, 37-39 avg, 47-50 hwy, second bike a DR200 EPA rated 105 mpg city. All would be 3% better mpg without E10. truck has 22 gal tank, motorcycle has 7 gal tank, Dr200 has 3.4 gal tank. I'm ready for the gas rationing. ;) better mpg to come after I use my ceramic coating on the exhaust pipes.

http://www.gassavers.org/index.php
http://ecomodder.com/
http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/car_aerodynamics/#Body%20pan%20notes:
http://cumminsengines.com/assets/pdf/Secrets%20of%20Better%20Fuel%20Economy_whitepaper. pdf

FAB1
02-24-2011, 09:17 AM
I have two big GM 5.7L monster station wagons.

Also two Buick Reattas, smaller, better gas mileage.

I'll keep driving all of them. I'll pay the price. At least at the
prices they are driving for there will be PLENTY of gasoline
for me.

:D :toung:

driz
02-26-2011, 12:59 AM
Hey, if you want to save gas try what some of them at my workplace do, Carpool. I personally don't participate but I have to say it is funny to watch these guys trying to hook up to get out the door sometimes. We call them "The Car Pool Mafia". They are always trying to maneuver around so as to get as close together as possible. It's quite a comedy, just like a reality tv show.:embarrest:

Boghie
02-26-2011, 09:17 AM
So much snark...
I love it...

Anyway, here is a real fuel economy and engine performance tip.

Buy and install a K&N Air Filter.
Even better, buy and install a K&N Air Intake.
Here is the website... (http://www.knfilters.com/)

You will notice an IMMEDIATE improvement in both performance and mpg.

Frixxxx
02-26-2011, 10:51 AM
Hey, if you want to save gas try what some of them at my workplace do, Carpool. I personally don't participate but I have to say it is funny to watch these guys trying to hook up to get out the door sometimes. We call them "The Car Pool Mafia". They are always trying to maneuver around so as to get as close together as possible. It's quite a comedy, just like a reality tv show.:embarrest:
I work 50-60 hours a week, no carpool buddies! I ride my motorcycle and I am happy that I live where I do to make it possible to ride almost 90% of the time.....But for some reason I can't get anybody into my rideshare program coming in @ 6 and leaving @ 6....hmmmm:laugh:

driz
02-26-2011, 05:38 PM
[QUOTE=Boghie;303333]So much snark...
I love it...

Anyway, here is a real fuel economy and engine performance tip.

Buy and install a K&N Air Filter.
Even better, buy and install a K&N Air Intake.

Here is the website... (http://www.knfilters.com/)

You will notice an IMMEDIATE improvement in both performance and mpg.[/QUOT



Ah, not quite. I have had a couple of em including now. About all you are going to get is 1 mpg if that and it's on the higher end of that with a super pig and much less if its a small motor rig. Same goes for all that power. If you try hard enough you might just persuade yourself to feel it. Sort of reminds me of that "Smilin Bob little blue pill" Enzite ad I got bombarded with all night long on Sat tv for years. Keep whistlin that little tune in your head and you might believe it eventually yourself and get that twisted little smirk goin like old Smilin Bob:cheesy:. The most cost effective way to get one is wait till your paper one is up for replacement and get one off Fleabay then sell it there again when you trade or scrap your car. You can get used ones on Fleabay too and clean them up with the $20 recharge kit which will last you a decade or more. They are supposed to last a gazillon miles anyways.
If you are going to do anything pump up your tires some and drive it as close to 2000 rpm's as you can manage. That works out to around 50 MPH in most and you are gonna get laughed at. Do that on a freeway and someone might come along and offer to give you a push but here in Rockeaterville at night no one will notice:rolleyes:. Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone. In more reasonable terms just cut out one useless trip to the sub shop or Wallyworld to view the Cretins on the 1st of the month:p ect and you will probably find yourself right back where you were. Also replace those super fat tires on your pick em up truck or sporte ute with thinner ones when they wear out.

pokerstar629
02-26-2011, 06:51 PM
I totally agree, I installed an AEM intake on my Honda s2000 5 years ago and it did make my car go faster, but I was using more gas as the extra power did make me wanna go faster. It was an amazing car, I could downshift to 3rd gear going 80mph. Got rid of the car because it was a police magnet.

wwwtractor
02-26-2011, 09:45 PM
I am still driving my Honda Insight CVT 2001 and getting excellent mileage with a maximum reached of 70.9 miles per gallon over 100 miles back and forth to work.

http://www.delicious.com/wwwtractor/insight/

PessOptimist
03-03-2011, 05:28 PM
Interesting advice about getting the rest of us to pay you to drive to work.

The same thing works if you are going to be on travel status all week, get paid POV mileage for the ride in Monday and the ride home at the end of the week. Never made sense to me but then I am one of the few in my work unit that never travels. Most of my coworkers depart Monday in their GSA vehicles and come back at the end of the week.

I like the 4-10s thing though I have no choice and do sometimes curse the 6AM-4:30PM day. Every Friday morning I am quite pleased with the schedule.

Oh, the gas saving tip. When possible, turn off the engine when waiting at stop lights. I emphasize when possible meaning when safe and if the red light is a long one. Maybe that should be when prudent.

This only works if you have a lot of stop lights on your commute. It is better if you are familiar with the traffic light patterns. Some of the red lights on my commute are 2.5 minutes. Some are much less.

You also have to have faith in your battery. Out here they have a tendency to fail catastrophically without warning.

Most vehicles on the road today start pretty much instantly. You do have to pay attention. Stop, put it in N, (assuming you are the 90 something % with automatic) shut off the key, when engine stops turn key back to ON. This keeps all accessories like directional lights on. If you can see the opposing traffic light, when it goes amber, start engine. Apply brake and shift to D. If you are far enough back in line so you can't see the opposing light, watch for the light to turn green, you will have plenty of time to start the engine and shift to D.

Pay attention, I have had times when I started up and pushed the gas while still in N. Usually when the car immediately in front started moving and I was in engine off mode. If you do this and shift to D so as not to inconvenience the person behind you leaning on the horn, you may leave more of your tires on the road than you intended. But it might impress someone.

Your Mileage May Vary but I have noticed that I can increase my daily MPG and overall per tank MPG using this method. Especially if I get caught at the RR crossing at the UP switch yard near work. Those guys can and do legally block the road for up to 15 minutes.

Off topic somewhat as I think this thread started out as how to get the .gov to pay for your gas. Saving fuel will save you money.Maybe we need a thread about saving fuel instead of getting all of us to pay for your fuel? We are a very diversified MB.

Disclaimer: if any of the above terms like engine, key, off; traffic light, driving etc confuse you, don't try this. Just carry on as usual but try to pay some attention to driving and stay in your lane while texting, eating, reading etc.

EmoDx
03-03-2011, 06:49 PM
Interesting advice about getting the rest of us to pay you to drive to work.

The same thing works if you are going to be on travel status all week, get paid POV mileage for the ride in Monday and the ride home at the end of the week. Never made sense to me but then I am one of the few in my work unit that never travels. Most of my coworkers depart Monday in their GSA vehicles and come back at the end of the week.

I like the 4-10s thing though I have no choice and do sometimes curse the 6AM-4:30PM day. Every Friday morning I am quite pleased with the schedule.

Oh, the gas saving tip. When possible, turn off the engine when waiting at stop lights. I emphasize when possible meaning when safe and if the red light is a long one. Maybe that should be when prudent.

This only works if you have a lot of stop lights on your commute. It is better if you are familiar with the traffic light patterns. Some of the red lights on my commute are 2.5 minutes. Some are much less.

You also have to have faith in your battery. Out here they have a tendency to fail catastrophically without warning.

Most vehicles on the road today start pretty much instantly. You do have to pay attention. Stop, put it in N, (assuming you are the 90 something % with automatic) shut off the key, when engine stops turn key back to ON. This keeps all accessories like directional lights on. If you can see the opposing traffic light, when it goes amber, start engine. Apply brake and shift to D. If you are far enough back in line so you can't see the opposing light, watch for the light to turn green, you will have plenty of time to start the engine and shift to D.

Pay attention, I have had times when I started up and pushed the gas while still in N. Usually when the car immediately in front started moving and I was in engine off mode. If you do this and shift to D so as not to inconvenience the person behind you leaning on the horn, you may leave more of your tires on the road than you intended. But it might impress someone.

Your Mileage May Vary but I have noticed that I can increase my daily MPG and overall per tank MPG using this method. Especially if I get caught at the RR crossing at the UP switch yard near work. Those guys can and do legally block the road for up to 15 minutes.

Off topic somewhat as I think this thread started out as how to get the .gov to pay for your gas. Saving fuel will save you money.Maybe we need a thread about saving fuel instead of getting all of us to pay for your fuel? We are a very diversified MB.

Disclaimer: if any of the above terms like engine, key, off; traffic light, driving etc confuse you, don't try this. Just carry on as usual but try to pay some attention to driving and stay in your lane while texting, eating, reading etc.

I'm not sure of the circumstance, but a federal employee can not use a GOV/GSA lease for travel to and from work. This is because you are not supposed to have the vehicle at the hose. But, as I learned when I the Officer in Charge of LORAN Station Searchlight, you could find ways around this law.

The Station was 55 miles from housing one way. Talk about an expensive commute. But we took the GOV's. The vehicles were are the Bureau of Land Management in Boulder CIty. We would drive to the BLM in POV's, about a 3 minute commute. Then drive the GOV's to the Station and Back to the BLM. THis was considered a Coast Guard mission as the entire station used the vehicles daily, there was a memorandum of agreement to keep the vehicles at a federal installation, and no one person kept the keys every day. The 2 duty personnel held the keys and the keys rotated weekly.

If your situation is similar and the unit can pay for the mileage for operational reasons, then this may be a good option. PM me for details.

- Emo

burrocrat
03-03-2011, 07:19 PM
I'm not sure of the circumstance, but a federal employee can not use a GOV/GSA lease for travel to and from work. This is because you are not supposed to have the vehicle at the hose. But, as I learned when I the Officer in Charge of LORAN Station Searchlight, you could find ways around this law.

The Station was 55 miles from housing one way. Talk about an expensive commute. But we took the GOV's. The vehicles were are the Bureau of Land Management in Boulder CIty. We would drive to the BLM in POV's, about a 3 minute commute. Then drive the GOV's to the Station and Back to the BLM. THis was considered a Coast Guard mission as the entire station used the vehicles daily, there was a memorandum of agreement to keep the vehicles at a federal installation, and no one person kept the keys every day. The 2 duty personnel held the keys and the keys rotated weekly.

If your situation is similar and the unit can pay for the mileage for operational reasons, then this may be a good option. PM me for details.

- Emo

it can be worked around in civilian agencies too. trigger seems to be if it results in savings to the gov. example, a person lives midway between duty stations, wastes time to drive to homebase office then take a GOV back down the same road you just came in on to get to todays location. why not just park the GOV at home on your way back and head out again in the morning? results in 1/2 mileage and 1/2 on the clock driving. i forget the form number and takes high level supervisor approval but it can be done.

PessOptimist
03-03-2011, 08:24 PM
it can be worked around in civilian agencies too. trigger seems to be if it results in savings to the gov. example, a person lives midway between duty stations, wastes time to drive to homebase office then take a GOV back down the same road you just came in on to get to todays location. why not just park the GOV at home on your way back and head out again in the morning? results in 1/2 mileage and 1/2 on the clock driving. i forget the form number and takes high level supervisor approval but it can be done.

Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

Common sense is not allowed where GSA vehicles are concened.

Burro, send along that form number. Better yet, a copy of the signed and approved one.

I can't even begin to count the number of times I have driven to work, got in the GSA vehicle and retraced my route to the work site. Or been a couple miles from home at quitting time and told to drive the GSA thing back to work on OT instead of taking it home. What would the neighbors think?

They know you are going to pile the entire family in that 3/4 ton utility body truck and go to railroad pass or somewhere if you are allowed to take it home. You Boulder City people are something else.:D

PO

burrocrat
03-03-2011, 08:31 PM
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

Common sense is not allowed where GSA vehicles are concened.

Burro, send along that form number. Better yet, a copy of the signed and approved one.

I can't even begin to count the number of times I have driven to work, got in the GSA vehicle and retraced my route to the work site. Or been a couple miles from home at quitting time and told to drive the GSA thing back to work on OT instead of taking it home. What would the neighbors think?

They know you are going to pile the entire family in that 3/4 ton utility body truck and go to railroad pass or somewhere if you are allowed to take it home. You Boulder City people are something else.:D

PO

no paperwork forthcoming,

wasn't my detail but saw it done, not going to delve into personell files that are not my business to share.

i'll go with common sense everytime, it still happens some places in .gov

PessOptimist
03-03-2011, 08:52 PM
Yeah, unfair and unreasonable of me to ask. Common sense is not policy and if it rears it's ugly head it must be stopped.

I still wonder why Boulder City details always end up staying in Lost Wages instead of the perfectly adequate El Rancho Motel.

I really need to get with the program.

burrocrat
03-03-2011, 09:27 PM
Yeah, unfair and unreasonable of me to ask. Common sense is not policy and if it rears it's ugly head it must be stopped.

I still wonder why Boulder City details always end up staying in Lost Wages instead of the perfectly adequate El Rancho Motel.

I really need to get with the program.

example two, employee on a flexible training task, lots of folks and distance to cover, some take more some take less to get to the point where it's done. my general rule of thumb is if less than 60 mile 1 hr drive on good roads then i go home at EOD, labor and fuel less than partial per diem and hotel and more per diem the next day. over an hour and it's more productive to stay, more hours in a day that way, make the best use of other's time too. i prefer holiday inn, but will often take the $45 option too, mom and pop or motel 6, i've seen worse. get the job done, the benefits of freedom of task outweigh nickle and diming the .gov buffet. and i sleep better that way, no matter where i'm at.

was total flex my choice on the hours & comp time until the budget throttled, now no common sense, can't work or drive past certain hours no matter the economics, even at great cost.

i guess we're both right, can be done, but often isn't.