Not only are my student fees rising, but so are the gas prices I pay at the pump. This month I’ve noticed that the amount of money it takes to fill up a gas tank has been rising to the extremes lately. While driving to and from school I’ve seen gas signs showing prices that have risen to almost $4 a gallon in the Sacramento area. As a student attending Sacramento State, a university known as a commuter school, this definitely takes a chunk out of my wallet.

According to the AAA fuel gauge report that can be found on the AAA website, the current fuel price for regular gas in Sacramento is at $3.81 a gallon which is 52 cents higher than what motorists were paying last year.

With the peak summer months just around the corner experts say gas prices will continue to rise because of the short supply and high demand.

The Associated Press’s article “Gas prices hit new records at the pump” said, “This year the spring price spike is being exacerbated by two unusual factors: tight supplies of key gasoline blending components and record oil prices.” Because of this, California and other states are looking for alternatives to keep consumers mobile without having to drain their wallets.

The California State Department of Energy’s website offers motorists ten tips to reducing fuel costs. “1. Drive or purchase a fuel-efficient car. 2. Don’t drive aggressively/ Drive at the speed limit. 3. Maintain Vehicle Efficiency 4. Take Advantage of Telecommuting 5. Minimize Vehicle Idling. 6. Use Carpooling/ Public Transit/ Non-Motorized Options 7. Eliminate Extra Wind Resistance and Weight 8. Look for the Best Price/ Limit Purchases When Prices are High 9. Reduce Air Conditioner/ Close Windows 10. Use the Right Grade of Gasoline/ Don’t Top Off.” Commuting to and from school can get expensive but I’ve found that there are many ways college students in Sacramento can beat the high gas prices this semester.

Public transportation has always been a convenient alternative and by doing a little research on the Sac State website I’ve found that students can ride both the Sacramento Regional Transit’s bus and light rail systems for free using their OneCard. Riding my bike, walking, skateboarding, and rollerblading are all alternatives that can allow me to stop and smell the roses and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Sac State provides many bike trails around campus that lead out to many areas of the city. The American River Parkway, Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail, is a great alternative route to get to class; it runs alongside the American River from downtown to Folsom and offers great views which is something I can’t get while driving on the freeway. The campus also provides bike lockers that can be rented out through Peak Adventures on a first come first serve basis.

Car-pooling with other students not only makes the drive to school more entertaining and lively but can also save me money. I can not only split the cost of gas and a parking permit between the people in my car pool but can also take turns driving to and from school.

Most freeways in Sacramento have carpool lanes that I can take advantage of. Since I get out of class at around 4:30 p.m. I face getting stuck in heavy traffic but by having two or more people in my car using the car pool lane saves me time and gas.

Car-pooling also makes the rides home from campus more efficient and might I add that it’s also fun getting to pass up all the single people stuck waiting to merge on to the freeway on the onramp.

With gas prices expected to continue rising with the coming summer months there are some great transportation alternatives. Although it might take me a little longer to get to where I want to go it definitely beats unnecessary spending.

Anna Torres can be reached at [email protected]