EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Rising gas prices are prompting some UTEP students to rethink how they travel around campus and manage their monthly budgets.<\/p>\n
AAA reports that gas prices continue to climb nationwide.<\/p>\n
In El Paso, the average price has reached $4.42 per gallon, five cents above the national average of $4.37 and 54 cents higher than Texas\u2019 statewide average of $3.88.<\/p>\n
For UTEP student Taylor Hopkins, higher prices have meant using her electric scooter more often and saving her car for longer trips.<\/p>\n
\u201cGas prices have risen a lot, so I take the scooter most of the time,\u201d Hopkins said. \u201cBefore, I definitely took my car everywhere. But now, I definitely say I ride my scooter at any chance I can. The car is only for the long-distance drives.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hopkins said parking on campus can also be difficult, making the scooter a convenient option for nearby trips.<\/p>\n
RELATED: El Paso regular gas jumps 37 cents in a week, averaging $4.34 a gallon<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEspecially with UTEP campus parking, it\u2019s super difficult to find a spot,\u201d she said. \u201cA lot of the time, I\u2019ll just pull out my scooter if it\u2019s super close. It also saves a lot of money on gas over the month.\u201d<\/p>\n Before relying more heavily on her scooter, Hopkins estimated she spent between $150 and $200 each month on gas.<\/p>\n El Paso prices are significantly higher than they were before the war in Iran, when a gallon of gas cost about $2.88 on average, according to AAA.<\/p>\n AAA estimates the cost of public electric-vehicle charging in Texas at about 42 cents per kilowatt-hour, matching the national average.<\/p>\n Hopkins said she charges her scooter roughly once every two days.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter charging it, I definitely save a lot on gas,\u201d Hopkins said. \u201cGoing from campus to a Starbucks or the grocery store that\u2019s nearby would normally take a couple miles of gas, while it just takes one charge on my scooter.\u201d<\/p>\n Hopkins still uses her car for longer drives, but says using her scooter for nearby errands gives her more flexibility in her budget.<\/p>\n As prices remain elevated, drivers may look to options such as electric scooters, carpooling, and public transportation to reduce transportation costs.<\/p>\n RELATED: Diesel prices hit record high, El Paso drivers say costs are changing how they travel<\/a><\/p>\n