Gasping at gas costs? Switch to two wheels
Using a hypothetical example, we break out some of the cost savings of commuting on two wheels instead of four.
Savings on two-wheel commuting
50-mile commute, 150cc scooter20-mile commute, bicycle”Sam” is a 40-year-old man with a 50-mile per day commute in suburban Chicago. He replaces his Ford Taurus sedan that averages 20 miles per gallon with a 150cc scooter that averages 70 miles per gallon. Gas is priced at $4 per gallon.
Sam saves $60 per week, with $36 of that being gas savings. (Assuming 54 cents a mile to operate the car and 30 cents a mile to operate the scooter.)
If Sam has a good driving record and insures his vehicles and house with Allstate, he’d save $325 to $525 a year on insurance if he traded the Ford Taurus for the 150cc scooter, according to Allstate spokeswoman Kate Hollcraft. In less than a year, about 44 weeks, Sam will have broken even on his investment of $1,500 to buy the scooter and $143 for gear.If “Steve” commutes on a bicycle, and his commute is 20 miles a day, he saves $48 a week, with $20 of that being gas savings. (Assuming 54 cents a mile for the car and 6 cents a mile for the bike.)
Steve may be able to save 10 percent on his auto insurance if he cuts his overall driving significantly, according to Loretta Worters, vice president of communications for the Insurance Information Institute.
If Steve buys a good bike, helmet, pump and lock for $500 total, he’ll break even about the 11th week. If he already owns his bike, as many bike commuters do, he’s coming out ahead from day one.