U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #145: October 16, 2000
Actions to Reduce Gasoline Expenditures

Gasoline prices in the summer of 2000 were dramatically higher than they had been the previous year. In a survey for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in August 2000, Opinion Research Corporation, International, asked 953 driving adults what they had done or planned to do in the near future to reduce gasoline expenditures. Nearly half of the respondents (45%) said they would drive less, while 28% said they would ride a bike or walk more often. A quarter responded that they would purchase a more fuel efficient vehicle, while 17% said they would drive a different vehicle. Only 22% responded that they would do nothing.

graph of actions to reduce gasoline expenditures

Supporting Information

Actions to Reduce Gasoline Expenditures
Action Percent of Respondents
Nothing 22%
Other 2%
Cancel Vacation 10%
Mass Transit 13%
Telecommute 15%
Drive different vehicle 17%
Carpool 21%
Purchase more efficient vehicle 25%
Walk or Bike 28%
Drive less 45%

Source: Random phone survey of 1,013 adults performed by Opinion Research Corporation, International, for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, August 3, 2000. Only the 953 study participants who indicated that they were drivers were asked about their actions to reduce gasoline expenditures. Results were weighted to obtain a representative sample of the U.S. adult population.

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