Pittsboro, NC – Chatham County government is carefully monitoring its fuel supply and conserving usage among non-essential vehicles amid the Colonial Pipeline system disruption.
Chatham County Emergency Management, the Chatham County Manager’s Office, Chatham County Schools, and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office are working in concert to monitor this incident. The County is prepared to activate its Fuel Shortage Plan should it be required. While Colonial Pipeline announced late Wednesday, May 12 that it had initiated the restart of its operations, it will take several days for the fuel supply to return to normal.
“We have seen many people buying extra fuel at retail gas stations across the county, leading to long lines, traffic delays and closed filling stations,” said Chatham County Emergency Management Specialist Colby Sawyer. “We ask that Chatham County residents avoid panic-buying and take proactive measures to conserve their fuel.”
AAA reminds drivers to keep these tips in mind to make their gas tank last longer:
Plan ahead to accomplish multiple errands in one trip, and whenever possible avoid high-traffic times of day.Drivers who own more than one car, use the most fuel-efficient model that meets the needs of any given journey.Remove unnecessary and bulky items from the car. Minimize the use of roof racks and remove special carriers when not in use. It takes more fuel to accelerate a heavier car, and the reduction in fuel economy is greater for small cars than for larger models.Minimize the use of air conditioning. Even at highway speeds, open windows have less effect on fuel economy than the engine power required to operate the air conditioning compressor.In hot weather, park in the shade or use a windshield sunscreen to lessen heat buildup inside the car. This reduces the need for air conditioning (and thus fuel) to cool down the car.
More fuel saving tips can be found on AAA’s website.