Florida troopers asked to cut gas usage

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Florida troopers asked to cut gas usage October 11, 2000 Web posted at: 7:59 AM EDT (1159 GMT)

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- Rising gas prices and budget concerns have forced the Florida Highway Patrol to ask its troopers to reduce mileage and cut fuel usage by 20 percent.

Facing a $1 million deficit in its gas budget, the FHP will likely decrease routine patrols while still responding to crashes and other calls for help.

"We've almost taken the 'patrol' out of the FHP," said Jim Rhyne, president of the union that represents 1,400 of the state's approximately 1,650 troopers.

The price per gallon of gas jumped from 98 cents in January 1999 to $1.50 last January, sparking the deficit, said Bob Sanchez, spokesman for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The effects of the cutback will likely be felt most in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, metropolitan areas where troopers spend much of their time driving to service calls and accidents.

South Florida's troopers will be asked to save gas by turning off their engines while sitting in their cars doing paperwork. Ordinarily, troopers keep their engines running -- and air conditioners on -- because of the hot climate.

http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/10/11/highway.patrol.ap/index.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 11, 2000


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