With the rising prices of unleaded and diesel gasoline, University departments are taking steps to increase efficiency, cut usage and keep a careful eye on their budgets.

Ron Hamlin, University Campus Transit System’s manager, said the effect of rising fuel prices is “very dramatic,” with campus transit using an average of 1,200 gallons to provide service during the summer.

Despite increasing the transportation fee from $90 to $95 for the fall semester, campus transit also plans to expand its service in the fall to include extended hours on the Milledge route and a trial of 24-hour bus service.

There are no plans to cut services because “any cuts in service will have impacts elsewhere with people using other less efficient methods of transportation,” Hamlin said.

Campus Transit carries more people than any other university transit system in the nation and is the second largest in the state behind the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, Hamlin said.

“Campus Transit isn’t taking any active steps to reduce consumption, but has asked drivers to shut off their buses if they are idling more than three or four minutes,” he said.

The University is a state-wide leader in fuel conservation, said Bill Fox, University fleet manager.

“We have been working on conserving fuel for years,” he said. “With the price going up it is forcing us to think outside the pump. It’s encouraging more research.”

The University is taking many steps to reduce consumption of gasoline by using E-85 – a blend of gasoline and ethanol – for every vehicle, replacing cars with electric carts, using compressed natural gas and replacing older vehicles with flex-fuel vehicles, Ralph Johnson, associate vice president, said.

The University Police Department is working to provide sufficient coverage while monitoring cost.

“With the rising gas prices expenses for everyone will go up,” Chief Jimmy Williamson said. “The rising gas prices can lead to more crime. Uniformed patrol is paramount and its presence is our number one task.”

“Like at home, when gas prices jump it takes money from other things, but we must do the work,” Johnson said. “Were going to try to not impact service in visible ways. Right now work is being deferred until a later time.”

The department is also considering strategies to cut down on mileage.

The physical plant “is looking at switching to 10-hour workdays” and is discussing the plan with human resources, he said.

The prices also affect departments indirectly.

“The biggest impact for parking services is that the cost of asphalt to repair parking lots has increased,” Don Walter, manager of parking services, said. “We are utilizing golf carts instead of trucks when we can, but the average parking enforcement officer drives at most 10 miles during a shift.”