Norman Davis uses his golf cart for errands around Albany that include taking his nephew, Daniel Karns, to the local swimming pool.

ALBANY, Mo. — Norman Davis uses a golf cart for his grocery shopping, to go to the post office and to haul sacks of pet food.

Of course, it’s all accomplished with burning less fuel than an SUV. It’s opened up a new front in the war on high gas prices.

Mr. Davis and other Albany residents are free to run golf carts for errands and any other need on the city’s streets. City officials enacted a new law July 1 that allows golf carts to legally cruise the streets just like any other authorized vehicle.

He waves to other motorists stopped at a four-way intersection near City Hall, preparing to head toward the Gentry County Courthouse. He was the first in town to receive a golf cart permit.

“Nobody has said nothing against it,” Mr. Davis said. “I ride it every day. Whenever you talk to somebody, they say they’re going to do something on account of the price of gas.”

City Administrator Derek Brown said the ordinance was proposed after several residents told officials they were interested in street-legal golf carts to combat the steep gas costs.

“They had golf carts and wanted to be able to go to the store,” Mr. Brown said.

Safety was the prime concern and gas prices the main motivation prior to approving the law, he said. Opposition never surfaced and other residents seem to be seriously considering the notion, he added.

“We really couldn’t find any other reason not to do it,” he said. “I think we’ve sold four or five permits already.”

The city — which had long provided permits for all-terrain vehicles — researched the idea before developing its proposal. A quantity of e-mails tried to determine which cities had successfully pursued golf carts as alternative transportation. Tarkio in Atchison County and Clarence in Northeast Missouri had golf cart laws on their books.

Similar language to the ATV law was used to model the golf cart ordinance, Mr. Brown said. Annual permits cost $15. Golf cart operators are expected to be licensed and observe all municipal traffic laws, just as any other motorist. Hand signals must be used to indicate turns.

Fluorescent orange bicycle safety flags must be attached to the rear of the vehicle. Golf carts must be driven under 25 mph.

Golf carts that run at night must be equipped with two headlamps in front and two red lamps in the rear.

Golf carts as another mode of transportation seem to be gaining traction elsewhere. Mr. Brown said the city has fielded an inquiry from Lexington, Mo., about its ordinance.

Heather Gregory relies on a gas-powered golf cart for grocery shopping and other evening runs.

“I’m so glad we’re being progressive,” she said.

Tarkio City Clerk Becky Schomburg said golf carts took a similar path to approval nearly two years ago, after some residents asked for permission.

Stuart Haynes of the Missouri Municipal League said his organization hasn’t done any tracking on civic approval of golf carts.

“I would say it’s very new,” Mr. Haynes said.

Ray Scherer can be reached at rscherer@npgco.com.