Photo by Ryan Gladstone / St. Joseph News-Press

Cole Woodbury, above, bought a scooter recently and has been able to park his Chevrolet Suburban and full-size pickup most of the time. He uses the 125-mpg scooter to putt around town for work and to run errands.

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Cole Woodbury gets stares from people interested in the scooter he uses to putt around St. Joseph.

Mr. Woodbury is the one who gets the last laugh, though. The scooter he recently bought gets 125 miles per gallon and he’s able to avoid driving his gas-guzzling Chevrolet Suburban and full-size pickup. He can easily ride to his downtown office at Felix Street Postcards and head to the store to pick up milk and bread if the need arises.

“I can’t fill up either vehicle for less than $100,” he said of the trucks.

His choice to go mini could signal a trend toward an overall downsizing in the public’s preferences on mobility. With the ever-steepening price of fuel, many families are turning to alternate choices that emphasize savings and a smaller tank to fill.

Heading into the heavy summer driving season, habits already are undergoing what could be a major shift. Mike Right, a spokesman for AAA Missouri, said motorists are driving less and are otherwise turning to more fuel-efficient vehicles.

“I think that’s a given,” he said. “I think there’s signs that people are getting it.”

Families are combining their trips to save gas, he said.

“I don’t know if they’re giving up their second car.” Mr. Right added.

For those like Mr. Woodbury, it makes sense to curtail fuel expense that eats into his company’s profits. Opting for the scooter didn’t come without considering other options.

“I debated about riding my bike back and forth between work,” he said. “It’s just the way to go, I think. The cost of a scooter is 10 tanks of gas.”

A majority of AAA members questioned in a survey showed changing attitudes — not simply unrequited anger — toward fuel prices, Mr. Right said. The state of the economy, however, is taking more precedence, the poll found.

“We see a growing percentage of people taking action to reduce their consumption,” he said. “The higher the price, the more action will be taken.

The organization’s research revealed that leisure trips have become fewer in number and of a shorter duration. Mass transit and commuter carpooling continue to gain popularity, Mr. Right added.

He predicted that this summer’s travel season will at least not exceed the numbers that 2007 yielded.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Energy Center, a gallon of gas averaged $3.44 on May 5 in a survey of service stations taken across the state — a new retail record price. The cost is 17 percent, or 50 cents, higher than May 2007 and 8 percent more than the previous month, the agency said.

Regular gas is projected to spike around $3.73 a gallon in June nationally and average $3.66 in the Midwest through September, said the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last summer, the government said a gallon of gas averaged about $3.08 in the region.

Meanwhile, the popularity of scooters as a friendlier mode of getting around grows in St. Joseph. Rick Simmons, who sells the mini-cycles from his North Belt Highway business, said it’s clear his customers want the scooters for work and errands. He’s already sold up to 20 so far this year.

“They’re doing it for cheaper transportation,” Mr. Simmons said. “They haven’t totally sworn off their cars yet.”

April is the typical month when scooter and pocket bike sales flourish.

“This year, they started in January,” he said.

More sales are expected later in the year.

“We’re going to have a tough time getting them before long,” Mr. Simmons said of the Chinese-made bikes.

Likewise, Auto Medics on Sherman Avenue has noticed rising sales from its fleet of scooters. General Manager William Shank said he’s sold about 30 of the units this year.

“They’re just asking for some cheap transportation,” he said. “We’re anticipating a pretty big year with those.”

More residents who cannot afford their own transportation have decided to use the St. Joseph Transit bus service.

“We have experienced an increase, yes,” said Resident Manager Kurt Janicek. “We’re going to get more passengers. It’s just a sad fact.”

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