Internet can save some '$721 a year' on fuel

The price of petrol is driving people in rural areas to use the internet rather than their cars, says rural broadband provider Farmside.

Based on Automobile Association figures and current prices for unleaded petrol of about $2.02 a litre, Farmside calculates rural people stand to save about $721 a year on petrol if they reduce travel by 20 per cent and use the Internet instead.

As petrol prices jumped weekly in April, inquires about rural broadband nearly doubled, says Nick Carter, sales and marketing director of the Timaru firm. The trend has continued this month, he says. "Many of our new customers are citing rising fuel costs as one of the main reasons for getting satellite or wireless broadband.

"They realise they can save money by using the Internet for errands that have traditionally required a personal trip, like banking, shopping, vehicle registration, study or even doing tax returns."

Mr Carter says the average driver in rural New Zealand spends 300 hours behind the wheel, and covers nearly 15,000 kilometres a year. Thirty per cent of this travel is for shopping and personal business.

Land Transport New Zealand spokesman Andy Knackstedt says increasing Internet use and cutting back on car use is one of the easiest ways to save on fuel.

- © Fairfax NZ News