Cost per trip commuting options
 

After acquiring a Scangauge, I wanted to find the best way to drive to work.

Route 1: 18.2 miles with around one stoplight, all highway at 50 to 60mph
Route 2: 14.0 miles with six stoplights, 1/3 highway, 45 to 50mph

Route 2 takes 10 minutes longer than route 1 due to stoplights and traffic.

Results after two weeks: Taking route 1, I can average 41mpg with little effort. Cost per trip was always over a dollar, though, from $1.03 to $1.21. Taking route 2, my average is closer to 37mpg, but my cost per trip is from $0.91 to $1.03.

I'm surprised that the results so far show me it's better to take the route with more stoplights and traffic to minimize cost. It will be interesting to analyze this more closely with more controlled driving and without winter conditions.

great job. i should see what my options are when i move to a new house.

Cool, but you'll double your efficiency by carpooling.

do you car pool?

I'm retired. But when I worked, I carpooled. I rode the bus, BART, ferries, and vanpools. I bicycled. I walked. I motorcycled. I probably drove less than a year, in toto, in a single occupant automobile, during my entire working career.

In this case the congested route works but that might not be necessarily true. In this case it works out but you are also going 4 miles farther. Which on a 14 mile trip is quite a bit.

That is why instrumentation is so important. Without it it would be impossible to tell. I shave 2 mpg off my commute by re routing to miss one traffic light. Sometime it counter intuitive and that's where instrumentation is so critical.

Congrats on the findings.

You drive 30% further on the longer route and get 10.8% better mileage so the better mileage just isn't enough to make up for increased distance.

I do something similar but I drive further to avoid what was the most expensive toll road in the nation when it opened, it would cost me $2.75 each way to save 5 miles distance each way, it's just not worth it in a car that gets 40+ mpg...but all those SUVs don't seem to mind at all.