DELTA COUNTY -- A simple car check can uncover some easy ways to keep more money in your wallet.
“More horsepower equals more fuel,” explains Mr. Tire owner, Toby Kuivinen. “So definitely pay attention to tire inflation."
When they're under-inflated, they generate more heat and energy. Plus, an average tire loses one to three pounds of air a month.
The best time to check air pressure is in the morning, when the tire is at its coldest.
“Do whatever you can do to keep from going after that gas machine,” Kuivinen said. “It’s hitting everybody in the pocketbook."
And pay attention to vehicle alignment. Tires that don't lay flat and straight also cause the car to work harder and use more gas.
But another common fuel-saving solution is to carpool.
Michigan Department of Transportation offers carpool lots that are free to the public.
“If you can work it out so that your schedules match,” explains James Lake, a Communications Representative for MDOT, “it could be a way for all of you to save a little bit of money."
Lake said carpooling may make sense for employees who have to travel to the same employer.
Right now, there are 40 carpool parking lots in the U.P., and five in Delta County. But MDOT officials say that as gas prices decrease, so does the interest in carpooling.
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