Commuters coping with rising gas prices

DAWN DE BUSK

Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - A dust-covered, small-sized pickup barreled into the ride-share parking lot on Trunk Road. A passenger jumped out and tossed his belongings into a rusty silver Suburban as the truck zipped away.

The commuter, Wasilla resident Michael Bottomly, said his new construction job takes him to sites in Eagle River and Anchorage, and for the time being, he finds it easier to ride with his co-worker.

"He knows where the different job sites are, and he has a 'four banger,'" Bottomly said, referring to the more fuel-efficient four-cylinder engine. "We split the cost of gas, or I take him out to lunch." The arrangement works out well, and is preferable to filling up the tank in his Suburban, he said.

At 7 p.m. on a Friday, many commuters are just returning to the Valley after a workday in Anchorage. With gas prices in the Valley ranging from $2.70 to almost $2.90 - about equal to the national average - sharing a ride or finding a more fuel-efficient car appeals to some people.

"I am going to get my Honda Civic registered. Then, I'll be driving it," Bottomly said.

The ride-share parking lot isn't used exclusively by folks trying to save money on gas.

A car salesman from one of the dealerships along the Parks Highway ate lunch in his car and watched an autumn rainstorm brewing. A woman pulled up in her sedan, threw on a windbreaker and took a brisk evening walk - returning after about 30 minutes. Four dental assistants who all work the same shift at the Alaska Native Medical Center tooled up in a brick-red sedan and visited for a while before doors started opening.

Driver Tanya Shanks, of Palmer, initiated the commuter-share between the four co-workers about a month ago.

"I've been commuting for about a year. So, I've been looking for someone to carpool with me," said Shanks, who was putting more than 100 miles a day on her economy car. "I've put a lot of mileage on my car. I don't have the money to buy a new car. If this one craps out on me, my job is jeopardized."

Fellow commuter Curtis Thorne agreed that a broken-down vehicle could cost him and his mother, Katie Thorne, their jobs.

"It's hard to find a dental assistant job in the Valley. My mom looked for a long time. We finally found one with Southcentral Foundation," he said.

Although preventing wear and tear on their vehicles and lowering monthly gasoline bills is high on the list for everyone, the four agreed that commuting with others was an enjoyable experience.

"Especially during the winter when you're driving 35 mph," Shanks said.

It's nice to have company when the roads get icy or when the driver gets sleepy, she said. The one drawback is being concerned about their parked vehicles being vandalized.

"It's scary parking here. We always see piles of glass. I don't keep stuff people would steal in my car," Amber Kulhanek said.

The Wasilla resident pointed inside her vehicle to reveal a glove box left open, exposing nothing but a package of smoked jerky. She also leaves the cover of her console open to remove temptation for would-be thieves.

Shanks tried to talk her husband into driving her to the parking area during the two weeks she's not the one taking her car to Anchorage. That way he can take her car home, where she feels it's safer.

The arrangement is that each of the three vehicle owners drives to Anchorage for one week. The Thornes share a vehicle. So, the group rotates cars every three weeks. The four commuters seem satisfied with the ride-share system they've devised, but resent the short amount of down time they can enjoy at home.

"When we get home we only have two hours to ourselves," Thorne said. "When winter comes, that time will be even shorter."

The group looks forward to a time in the future when a dental clinic springs up among health-related businesses expected to cluster near the Mat-Su Regional Medical Center.

"I strongly think that if a dental clinic opened here, we'd all have jobs in the Valley. Everybody already thinks, 'I'm first on the list.' " Shanks said.

Three masonry workers, who pulled into the parking lot after a dark, rainy, windy journey up the Glenn Highway, travel where the work is. Luckily, the company for which they work, Arnold Gagnon Construction, pays for gas.

"I haul these two guys in, and they save a lot of money," driver Nathan Puzey, of Wasilla, said.

Eric Tomasino sits in the work rig while his truck warms up.

Despite a laborious workday, Jesse Mazzella, of Wasilla, was still brimming with energy. He leaped into the back of the work truck to grab equipment, and joked around with his co-workers.

"We work 10 or 12 hours a day, plus the commute," Puzey said.

"Sometimes it's longer because Jesse makes us run errands," Tomasino said.

"There's nothing cuter than a commuter," Mazzella said.

Dawn De Busk can be reached at 352-2252, or dawn.debusk@ frontiersman.com.