Families are bound to experience some issues while traveling together. Most of the time, families will struggle with keeping everyone happy throughout the entire trip. An often-overlooked challenge for traveling families, however, is finding parking both throughout their time on the road. Just how much time is wasted throughout the scouring for parking? On average, Americans will waste nearly 17 hours a year in their search for parking. Surprising to realize that so many streets, lots, and garages could be at capacity so often. Any time wasted searching for parking have a negative impact on your family’s travel plans, namely in regards to staying punctual with set schedules and itineraries. While this time certainly impacts travel plans, it can leave a mark on your vehicle’s fuel economy as well. Through this post family travelers will learn a few of the ways that families can save on gas money and decrease the environmental impact on their traveling vehicle.
If your family is eyeing travel plans within a short distance, it may be worth considering public transportation or a group bus tour. Of course these travel options limit the amount of privacy your family will experience, but they are certainly the most environmentally friendly. For example, families planning to visit a nearby monument could greatly benefit from traveling through these means. This method is particularly limiting in regards to where your family can travel, however. For longer excursions, in order to remain environmentally conscious, devising a plan that allows the entire family to take one vehicle is imperative. Prior to leaving in the family vehicle, it’s important to be sure that it’s been properly maintained and serviced accordingly.
As mentioned previously, it’s important to consider the number of ways that your family can reduce the stress on your vehicle throughout the time spent traveling. Every element between the air conditioning and heating systems of the vehicle and the speed you’re driving throughout the time on the road will impact a vehicle’s conditions and our surrounding environments. For example, if your family is traveling throughout the summer months, or in warmer climates, instead of blasting your air conditioning, open the windows in order to circulate cool air. Traveling in frigid winter months is common as well, so rather than blasting the heat on every startup of your vehicle, give it time to gradually increase while driving. Instead of insisting on driving at the fastest speeds posted on your family’s route to decrease travel time, try to adhere to the posted speed limits. These speeds have proven to decrease carbon emissions as well as increase your vehicle’s mileage when maintained properly.
Regardless of how long your family is expecting to be on the road, be considerate of the frequency in which you’re cycling your vehicle on and off. These startups can contribute to unnecessary carbon emissions and wear on the vehicle. In the instances where your family needs to take an extended break, whether that be at a rest stop or a gas station, always turn off the vehicle. As your family reaches your destination and inevitably has to spend time searching for parking, always look to choose the first spot you see rather than searching for the sweet spot closest to an entrance. Not only does this method provide physical benefits, it also does wonders for decreasing your vehicle’s emissions. For more information on remaining environmentally conscious throughout your travels, check out the infographic coupled alongside this post.
Author bio: Ian Todd is Director of Automated Parking Systems for Westfalia, a York, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer. Todd has more than 15 years of experience in automated parking systems in both Europe and the Americas, where he has held roles in product development, project management, marketing, and business development and sales.
