Well, if you live in a big city then you have big-time traffic headaches.  Across the country, this is almost a universal story.  ”Rush Hour” has become one of the most used oxymorons in the American lexicon as there is no “rush” anymore, just a wave of similarly unlucky souls who trek the “freeways” together twice a day in a slow moving parade before and after our already hectic workdays.  And as for that “hour” thing, well in many metropolitan areas morning Rush Hour begins before 7:00 a.m. and extends until nearly 10:00.  The evening comute home is no better with its similar 3 hour slowing of the transportation arteries.

No matter how you look at it we spend too much time stuck in traffic.  But things are getting better, according to the latest US Census Bureau reports, the average daily commute in the U.S. has dropped to 24.3 minutes from its previous high (unfortunately those in New York still spend an average 30.4 minutes going to and from work every day).  If you add this up though, even with a modest commute, we all spend better than 80 hours of our lives driving every year to and from work.  I don’t know about you, but I would rather spend this time doing something better than sitting bumper to bumper with my gas-dollars spewing out of my tailpipe.

That brings us to the commuters community - the ever familiar carpool.  From taking the kids to school events, to professionals on their way to the office, carpooling has become a staple of American society.  It is so engrained in our way of life that Department of Transportation policies now require H.O.V. (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes on most new freeway construction projects just to accomidate all of the carpoolers.

In coming posts, we will take a look at some of the good, bad, and interesting details about carpooling.  As usual, we would appreciate your comments and suggestions. But for today, we would like to throw out this one idea for carpoolers: be sure to use a rewards-based card when purchasing your gas for the ride.  True, this may seem a bit self-serving, but if you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.  Since a carpool cuts down on the cost of your daily commute (a group of 4 people can save 75% on their daily gas costs), a rewards-based gas card would extend that savings even further.  On top of that, you could pool your savings to enhance your commuting experience and make the ride not so bad.

This is something you may not have of thought about before, and we hope the suggestion brightens your day a little as we now have to get ready for our ride home in the carpool lane.

Top Traveling Tips For The Open Road

The “Open Road” should not be available to only those with “open pockets.”  We all enjoy “getting out there” and experiencing the beauty and wonder of what our national roads have to offer.  From local jaunts, to continent-crossing adventures, RV travelers enjoy the best of nature, culture, and adventure, while often being subject to the worst of the gas price crisis.  This is what we hope to expose through an ongoing series of posts in our RV and Traveler Tips section.

In this section, we will bring to you the best advice from across the internet, the insights from reader comments, and our very own road-ready experience.  Readers can come to expect posts on topics such as:

• Savings tips for RV travelers
• How to earn $100 for every cross-country trip?
• Fueling Issues: What you put in the tank matters
• When to fuel up and how
• Loading up or Lightening up: Right-sizing your load
• Driving Strategies for RVs
• Budget Adventures: High value fun on low cost budget
• Groups, Clubs, and Associations: Who’s who

So before the next time you hit the open road, be sure and check out our latest RV and Traveler Tips.  And as always, when you are out on the road, be sure to send us your comments and feedback so that we can share your wisdom and stories with everyone else.

Budget Saving Strategies and Tactics For Every Business

Businesses can save real money on gasoline purchases - but how?  That’s the most common challenge and the question we have received at PumpAndSave.com from Small and Medium Businesses (SMB’s) over the years.  Sure, PumpAndSave.com features the best rewards-based and cash-back credit card offers on the internet, many of which are available to businesses and fleet customers as well.  But beyond the obvious savings of 3-5% on every gallon of gas, businesses want to know effective strategies and practical tactics to manage a cost effective transportation budget.  This is the focus of our Commuting and Commerce blog posts.

Under the Commuting and Commerce category, we will present and discuss the most effective business oriented materials for gasoline purchasing available on the internet.  By extending PumpAndSave.com’s industry connections, internet research, and news gathering capabilities, we will provide an ongoing resource for all Small and Medium Businesses.  Already underway, we are preparing posts on topics including:

• How even with the slight reprieve in high gas prices, service oriented businesses continue to feel the pressure of the slumping economy and are, in response, turning to internet offers and advice - But is this a good thing for them? Is it good for their customers?
• How can businesses with fleets of company cars, service vehicles, and outside sales professionals reduce their fuel costs and increase their bottom line as they struggle to deal with volatile fuel prices.
• What advice is there for small businesses looking for ways to extend their tightening budgets and reasonably project the fuel costs in competitive consumer and service oriented markets.

Throughout this category of posts,Cheap-Gas 4 All’s small and medium sized business readers will be able to discover the very information they need to make informed and cost-effective decisions to make the most of their fuel budgets.  In addition, we will be taking your questions, tips, and comments about all relevant news and industry developments.  Through your input and PumpAndSave.com’s ongoing research for the best money-saving deals, we will bring you the best of what the internet has to offer.