Commuters look to alternatives
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05-01-2006, 09:14 PM
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Commuters look to alternatives
Commuters look to alternatives
By Randi Block/Staff Writer
With a 110-mile daily commute, Lompoc resident John Fletcher's work days have stretched to 12 hours, as he tries to combat the increasing fuel costs with innovative carpooling techniques.
Fletcher runs a vanpool that transports 10 Lompoc residents to their jobs in Santa Barbara. At an average price of $130 to $165 a month, depending on gas costs and the number of riders, the commuters all see substantial savings compared to the cost of driving their own cars.
“It's too expensive to do that commute on my own even in my Dodge Stratus, which is a small car,” Fletcher said.
Fuel prices broke a new record Friday, skyrocketing to an average of $3.29 for regular gas in Santa Maria. A month ago, that same gallon of gas cost $2.82 and one year ago it was $2.73.
These high prices have forced many commuters to look to alternative forms of transportation to reduce costs and find more economic ways to get to work.
Within the last month, Doug Bentley of Santa Maria has started taking the Clean Air Express - a bus service that runs between the North County and Goleta and Santa Barbara.
“I was driving myself, but I started this because of the rising cost of gas,” Bentley said. “As long as I can keep carpooling with my work schedule, I'll continue with it.”
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Prior to joining the Clean Air Express, Bentley said, he was spending a minimum of $110 every two weeks on gas, far more than a monthly $135 bus pass.
Bentley added that since his day is extended by an hour due to the bus schedule, he is joining a vanpool next week with his North County coworkers.
The trend toward alternative transportation is a common one, and many local commuter bus services have seen a sharp increase in ridership as gas prices have risen.
The Clean Air Express had 15,000 riders in March, a 22-percent increase over the previous month, said Kent Epperson, director of traffic solutions.
“There's a direct correlation - as fuel prices go up, we see increased ridership,” he said. “Particularly the long distance transit trips are very sensitive to fuel costs.”
The Breeze bus, which operates between Santa Maria and Lompoc, also had a record number of riders in March at 3,270, said Michael Seden-Hanfen, transit coordinator.
“We're glad to have regional service. It's a good feeling that we can provide an alternative to driving alone, especially in times when gas prices are soaring,” he said.
Finding an alternative to driving alone to work can lead to substantial savings. A Santa Maria resident who commutes 140 miles round trip in a 2002 Toyota Camry would spend $653 a month, or $7,836 a year, on fuel, maintenance, car depreciation and insurance, according to Santa Barbara County Traffic Solutions.
If that same person carpooled with one other person, he or she would save $3,912, and could reduce costs by up to $6,216 per year by joining a bus service.
The depreciated value of the car is generally the highest cost incurred from commuting, amounting to approximately $2,225 over a year driven at 140 miles a day.
But it's not only commuters with long drives to work that are feeling the pinch when it comes to the pump.
Single mom Alicia Alvarado of Santa Maria has four children and drives a large van to allow ample room to get them to school each day. But the increasing gas cost has forced her to cut back on their weekend trips around town.
“I'm on a tight budget, and it's really, really affects me,” Alvarado said as she bought six gallons of gas for $20. “I can't go to the swap meet anymore because it costs too much to get there. I save that money to buy pizza for the kids.”
While many people make it a goal to move closer to work to shorten commute times, for many North County residents, that's not an option as the more “affordable” housing is in the Santa Maria and Lompoc valleys and the high-paying jobs are on the South Coast.
“I can't afford to live down here in Santa Barbara, but I can't get a job in Lompoc that would pay me the same as the high-tech jobs down here,” Fletcher said.
Bentley agreed.
“I moved to Santa Maria in 1985 so I could own my house, you can't do that in Santa Barbara,” he said.
Randi Block can be reached at 347-4580 or rblock@santamariatimes.com.
May 1, 2006
By Randi Block/Staff Writer
With a 110-mile daily commute, Lompoc resident John Fletcher's work days have stretched to 12 hours, as he tries to combat the increasing fuel costs with innovative carpooling techniques.
Fletcher runs a vanpool that transports 10 Lompoc residents to their jobs in Santa Barbara. At an average price of $130 to $165 a month, depending on gas costs and the number of riders, the commuters all see substantial savings compared to the cost of driving their own cars.
“It's too expensive to do that commute on my own even in my Dodge Stratus, which is a small car,” Fletcher said.
Fuel prices broke a new record Friday, skyrocketing to an average of $3.29 for regular gas in Santa Maria. A month ago, that same gallon of gas cost $2.82 and one year ago it was $2.73.
These high prices have forced many commuters to look to alternative forms of transportation to reduce costs and find more economic ways to get to work.
Within the last month, Doug Bentley of Santa Maria has started taking the Clean Air Express - a bus service that runs between the North County and Goleta and Santa Barbara.
“I was driving myself, but I started this because of the rising cost of gas,” Bentley said. “As long as I can keep carpooling with my work schedule, I'll continue with it.”
ADVERTISEMENT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscribe to the Santa Maria Times
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Prior to joining the Clean Air Express, Bentley said, he was spending a minimum of $110 every two weeks on gas, far more than a monthly $135 bus pass.
Bentley added that since his day is extended by an hour due to the bus schedule, he is joining a vanpool next week with his North County coworkers.
The trend toward alternative transportation is a common one, and many local commuter bus services have seen a sharp increase in ridership as gas prices have risen.
The Clean Air Express had 15,000 riders in March, a 22-percent increase over the previous month, said Kent Epperson, director of traffic solutions.
“There's a direct correlation - as fuel prices go up, we see increased ridership,” he said. “Particularly the long distance transit trips are very sensitive to fuel costs.”
The Breeze bus, which operates between Santa Maria and Lompoc, also had a record number of riders in March at 3,270, said Michael Seden-Hanfen, transit coordinator.
“We're glad to have regional service. It's a good feeling that we can provide an alternative to driving alone, especially in times when gas prices are soaring,” he said.
Finding an alternative to driving alone to work can lead to substantial savings. A Santa Maria resident who commutes 140 miles round trip in a 2002 Toyota Camry would spend $653 a month, or $7,836 a year, on fuel, maintenance, car depreciation and insurance, according to Santa Barbara County Traffic Solutions.
If that same person carpooled with one other person, he or she would save $3,912, and could reduce costs by up to $6,216 per year by joining a bus service.
The depreciated value of the car is generally the highest cost incurred from commuting, amounting to approximately $2,225 over a year driven at 140 miles a day.
But it's not only commuters with long drives to work that are feeling the pinch when it comes to the pump.
Single mom Alicia Alvarado of Santa Maria has four children and drives a large van to allow ample room to get them to school each day. But the increasing gas cost has forced her to cut back on their weekend trips around town.
“I'm on a tight budget, and it's really, really affects me,” Alvarado said as she bought six gallons of gas for $20. “I can't go to the swap meet anymore because it costs too much to get there. I save that money to buy pizza for the kids.”
While many people make it a goal to move closer to work to shorten commute times, for many North County residents, that's not an option as the more “affordable” housing is in the Santa Maria and Lompoc valleys and the high-paying jobs are on the South Coast.
“I can't afford to live down here in Santa Barbara, but I can't get a job in Lompoc that would pay me the same as the high-tech jobs down here,” Fletcher said.
Bentley agreed.
“I moved to Santa Maria in 1985 so I could own my house, you can't do that in Santa Barbara,” he said.
Randi Block can be reached at 347-4580 or rblock@santamariatimes.com.
May 1, 2006