Cruising Through Summer on One Tank of Gas

Aug. 5, 2008 -- Facing skyrocketing gas prices, a college student from Vancouver, Wash., is attempting to get through the entire summer on a single tank of gas.

Halfway through the summer, Danni Brancaccio is right on target, with the 14-gallon tank in her 1997 Honda Civic still about half full.

"When I got home from school, gas was about $4.30 [per gallon]," said the 20-year-old student at Northwestern University. "That was more than I was willing to spend."

Brancaccio's parents, who use her car while she's away at school, gave her a full tank of gas when she returned home for the summer.

"My mom has a mini van, so she uses my car because it's better on gas," said Brancaccio.

She has discovered ways to preserve the gas in her tank. During the week she takes the bus to work, and on weekends she relies on walking, carpooling and getting rides from her parents. Often, Brancaccio catches the bus to work after Mom drops her off at the local park-and-ride.

Brancaccio estimates she has saved more than $150 and lost about five pounds in the first two months of her summer break by utilizing alternate transportation methods.

She would have driven 30 miles per day round trip to her job at the downtown Portland, Ore., law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine.

"Every day that I don't drive to work, I save a gallon of gas," she said.

While she is not concerned with the day-to-day fluctuating price of gas, Brancaccio does spend $105 on her monthly metro card. She said that the card is a good deal because it gives her unlimited access to the buses in Portland and Vancouver.

Her original goal was just to save money -- but she does support the philosophy of going green.

"I wouldn't call myself an [environmental] activist," said Brancaccio. But she added, "I think green living should start to become second nature to us."

Her efforts to save money and take advantage of carpooling have been contagious.

"One of my friends is very enthusiastic about saving gas," said Brancaccio.