Continue reading Sign of the Times: Recession Prompts Transit Fare Hikes, Service Cuts

Sign of the Times: Recession Prompts Transit Fare Hikes, Service Cuts originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The highways I drove this Memorial Day weekend were relatively empty thanks to people opting for a Staycation. But people I spoke with were wondering why gasoline prices were so high and whether they'll go higher. While USA Today thinks they've peaked, my answer to both questions is I don't know.

But if one source is right that 60% of the trading volume in oil is from speculators, then a rise in the dollar and a drop in consumption would force those speculators to reverse course -- and that would send oil prices plummeting. Here are five things you can do to help make this happen:

• Drive less. Many people don't have the option to do this. But carpooling is an option for many. People can also try to make many stops during a single car trip rather than doing one at a time. And they can try to telecommute more frequently.
• Take public transportation. Much has been written recently about people taking buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation to work. While this is often more time consuming and can be inconvenient. It may also save money and will certainly cut down on your gasoline consumption.
• Ride a bike or use a motorcycle. I know riding a bike would be a major inconvenience for many people. Riding a motorcycle gets better gas mileage than a car and is fun for some. During periods of dry weather these options could work fairly well. But they'd be awfully tough during a snow or rain storm.

Continue reading Five things you can do about $4 a gallon gas

Five things you can do about $4 a gallon gas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 28 May 2008 10:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.