MEMPHIS, Tenn. — With the persistent pain at the pump for car and truck drivers, there's another option that's more fuel-efficient and where a tank lasts much longer: gas-powered scooters.
With prices above $4 a gallon at many Memphis-area gas stations, one scooter owner, Kenneth Harris, said on Thursday that as long as the weather is clear, he's going to use his scooter to get around for short trips rather than fueling his car.
"Ooo wee, car, you are going to have to sit still for a bit," Harris said about the current gas prices.
He's all about his scooter and saving money in recent days with gas prices surging.
"If I don't have to take anyone anywhere, I'm going to be on that scooter," Harris added.
The grandfather in Frayser bought the scooter last August as part of the non-profit program MyCityRides, which launched in 2017.
"Right now for about $5 or $6, I can fill my tank up and ride almost 300 miles, so it's a great deal," Harris said.
MyCityRides allows qualified applicants, who pass safety training, to buy a scooter and pay it off for a little more than $100 a month across three years.
Preventative maintenance and liability insurance, even a jacket and helmet, are included.
"A MyCityRides scooter will get 89 miles to the gallon, so it's always been an economic driver for workforce mobility," MyCityRides Director Of Operations Megan Klein said. "What we've always said is we are more gas efficient than any gas vehicle you are going to find on the roads."
The scooters go up to 65 miles per hour, giving potential owners a cheaper option to run errands or ride to work inside the interstate loops.
"You can get from the river out east or from North Memphis down to the airport very efficiently on roads that are safe to travel with a scooter," Klein added.
As for Harris, as long as the weather is clear and gas prices stay high, his scooter will be a Plan A for many of his trips, work or fun.
"I'm trying to think how can I put a fishing pole and a basket on my scooter and go fishing," Harris said.
So far, more than 300 scooter owners are part of MyCityRides, with participants now in every Memphis ZIP code.
Those with the non-profit are expanding their operations later this year and believe the upcoming warm weather and high gas prices could make it an option for more people.