Fuelishness! Fuel Economy Blog

DOT & FCC Join Forces to Combat Distracted Driving

Michael — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:09:57 +0000

Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Washington DC – U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Wednesday that they are launching a joint effort to evaluate technologies that may help curb the dangerous epidemic of distracted driving. The DOT-FCC partnership will also include outreach efforts to educate the public about the dangers of texting while [...]

Eco-driving Cuts Emissions and Costs at Aitik Mine in Sweden

Michael — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:52:41 +0000

The Aitik mine in Sweden, which is owned by Boliden Mineral AB, has organized an Eco-driving training course for all its truck drivers, in co-operation with the Swedish Road Administration. Eco-driving teaches the driver to drive efficiently, reducing fuel consumption and thereby emissions of carbon dioxide and other substances. The Eco-driving concept originated in Finland and [...]

Fuelishness! Feed: Holiday gas prices up from 2008; Yes, we always wanted efficient cars; Fleets use technology to save fuel; NASCAR getting greener

Michael — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:09:26 +0000

Gas prices chugging higher as holidays near — Americans are paying more for gasoline than they did last year as the holidays approached – billions of dollars that could go to books, clothes and Barbie dolls instead being spent at the pump. Gas averaged nearly $2.70 a gallon Friday, the highest of the year – [...]

National Teen Driver Safety Week (Continued) – Impact Teen Drivers

Michael — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:51:06 +0000

We left last week with a message from John Henry of EcoDriveSmart that the real challenge for improving teen driver safety is one that can’t be jammed into one week a year. He’s right of course, so we’ll continue it on an ongoing basis throughout the year, adding it to the mission of FuelClinic and the Fuelishness! [...]

Houston We Have a Problem – Feedback?

Michael — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:52:26 +0000

Back in June I took a first look at a new movie called “Houston We Have a Problem” – now there is an updated theatrical trailer (see below) and some recent screenings in select cities and film festivals (right now at the Austin Film Festival). Houston We Have A Problem is about America’s ferocious appetite for [...]

Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 5) – The Real Work of Improving Teen Driver Safety is Just Beginning

Michael — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:04:24 +0000

by John Henry, EcoDriveSmart, Inc. While the The National Teen Driver Safety Week is coming to an end we should actually be thinking of it as a beginning. If we can put all this effort in to the problem of teenage crashes in one week per year, then we owe it to them to come up with [...]

Driver Distraction: Gas Station TV?

Michael — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:17:02 +0000

I’ll admit that fueling a vehicle isn’t the most exciting thing to do, however there is a certain amount of attention required. So I was surprised (not really) to see this video of at least one station making the effort to add a television set on top of their fuel pumps. According to this video (and [...]

Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 4) – The Growing Problem of Texting While Driving – Finding Solutions

Michael — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:02:34 +0000

Utah Department of Transportation and its public safety partners have created a program called Zero Fatalities, and recently released a powerful 15-minute documentary addressing the growing problem of texting while driving today. View the video below. The intent is to alter the public’s current perception that traffic fatalities are an inevitable reality that must be accepted. [...]

Help Me Caption This Image – Win a $50 Gas Card (Updated)

Michael — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:21:02 +0000

I’m constantly looking for ways to quickly and succinctly describe the goals and objectives of FuelClinic to people who are not yet familiar with our concepts. I’ve had an idea for a few months kicking around in the back of my mind for a graphic that shows a schematic-like “common” car illustration with a “smart” or [...]

National Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 3) – Survey Reveals Which Distractions Are Considered More Dangerous by Drivers

Michael — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:39:44 +0000

A recent survey by LeaseTrader.com sampling 3000 drivers provided some interesting insight into the distractions that are perceived to be most dangerous by drivers. LeaseTrader.com polled more than 3,000 drivers nationwide and asked men and women if there are other more dangerous distractions. Texting while driving is getting all the attention right now but you might be surprised [...]

National Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 2) – Public awareness campaigns needed to highlight the dangers of distracted driving

Michael — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:51:54 +0000

This week is National Teen Driver safety week, and our youngest and most novice drivers are at greater risk of injury and death from unsafe and distracted driving. There are many stats related to teen driver accident rates. One of the most shocking is that sixteen-year-olds are involved in more than five times as many [...]

National Teen Driver Safety Week (Day 1) – The need for improved driver education for novice drivers

Michael — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 14:27:31 +0000

In 2007 the US Congress established National Teen Driver Safety Week to take place during the third week of October. This year we will work to bring you information and resources that you can use to help reduce the risk to yourself and the younger novice drivers in your family or your social groups. Today, we’ll review [...]