Going the extra mile: The secrets to saving money at the pump by "hyper-miling" on the road
As U.S. gas prices soar, drivers known as "hyper-milers" have found ways to improve their fuel efficiency and save money at the pump.
One of those hyper-milers — someone who goes to great lengths to stretch their fuel economy — is Wayne Gerdis, who is managing to get about 60% more miles than the Environmental Protection Agency says his Prius Plug-In Hybrid should be getting.
"Why burn fuel if you don't have to?" he said.
That is Gerdis' gospel, especially driving in Southern California, home to the nation's highest gas prices, coming in about $2 a gallon more than a year ago. Nationwide, the average price for a gallon of regular gas is now more than $4.25, according to AAA.
Gerdis' key word is "gentle" — gentle acceleration and gentle braking. Many of his tricks involve subtle changes to driving, but they can make a big difference. One example is simply going the speed limit, even on the freeway. The faster you go, the more fuel you burn.
"Speed kills fuel economy. There's no way around it," Gerdis told CBS News' Kris Van Cleave.
And little things add up. Gerdis also controls how often he uses the air conditioner.
"I'll run air conditioning when it gets above 80. I set it like 76 to 78 degrees because I want to just be comfortable," he said.
Some hyper-milers make their cars more aerodynamic or drive behind semi-trucks to reduce wind resistance. Gerdis sticks to the slow lane and follows all traffic laws. He said his slow and steady approach to driving has been getting him well over 80 miles per gallon and cut his fuel consumption by about 40%, saving him about $2,500 a year.
"Every dollar I save in fuel is a dollar in my pocket," he said.
Brian Cooley, editor at large for CNET, said those tips and tricks can be very useful.
"The optics can be bad to other drivers because it's not the normal pattern that we all follow," he said. "Most of the tips in the hyper-milers playbook are smart and they're things we should have been taught back in driver training."
Other ways to save fuel include keeping tires properly inflated and making vehicles as light as possible by taking unnecessary heavy items out of the trunk or even removing a roof rack if it's not being used.
