Metro drivers are switching from four wheels to two

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OTTAWA - It's not just gas prices that fluctuate on Thursdays.

So do sales at Rick Snyder's bike shop in Dieppe.

The owner of Mike's Bike Shop said higher prices at the pumps have first-time cyclists flocking to his store in search of relief on two wheels.

"Particularly when gas goes up five cents, that directly affects sales," he said. "We have people coming in every single day saying, 'We're not bikers in the least, but because of the price of gas, we're going to start biking to work.'"

He said many aspiring cyclists are gearing up on commuter -- or hybrid -- bicycles in an attempt to save money on fuel.

But there's still no denying New Brunswickers have an enduring love affair with their cars.

More than 80 per cent of daily commuters travel to work on four wheels, according to a Statistics Canada survey, while less than one per cent ride a bike.

But it's not hard to see why some drivers are beginning to search out ways to keep their cars in park.

Skyrocketing fuel prices are hovering at about $1.30 a litre, with some analysts predicting prices in the $1.40 to $1.50 range by summer.

And if steady hikes in gas prices aren't enough, the Liberals are musing with the notion of a carbon tax on gasoline.

The plan would add even more to the bottom line price of a tank of fuel.

"This is reality finally hitting us," said Mike Davis, owner of the Radical Edge in Fredericton, an outdoor recreation store that specializes in bicycles.

He said daily commuters rarely take steps to adapt until they're hit hardest where it hurts -- in the pocketbook.

"Get used to it," said Davis. "Gas is $2.50 in Europe. If drivers are angry, they have to understand, this is the future."

He said customers who buy hybrid bicycles now account for about 50 per cent of his sales -- a 100 per cent increase since last year.

"The people who are buying bikes are purchasing them with transportation in mind," he said.

But transportation on two wheels isn't always an option, even in the wake of record-high gas prices.

Sandy MacNeill, manager of the transit division for the city of Fredericton, said there is plenty anecdotal evidence to suggest more commuters are taking the bus.

He said inquiries from riders about how to read bus schedules are up and so are questions about how the transit system works.

"We are getting more cash fares, too, which is indicative of people who don't know how to use the system," he said.

He said without hard data, it's difficult to prove that gas prices are the only reason more commuters are turning to public transit.

But he concedes market conditions are consistent with a potential change in commuter patterns.

He said commuters tend to make transportation decisions at crucial points, adding the cost of a replacing a second car and a spike in gasoline prices might create the perfect storm needed to take a second look at public transit.

"The shock value of a $20,000 investment in a new car is pretty significant," he said. "The shock value of an additional $100 to $200 a month for fuel to put in that car also becomes significant."

Davis agrees, adding his family saves thousands of dollars a year by finding alternative ways to commute instead of owning a second car.

"My savings are huge," he said. "The bike allows me not to have two car payments. Plus cars are money pits."

Davis said Fredericton is garnering a reputation as being bike-friendly because of its intricate system of pathways.

Snyder, however, said cyclists in the Metro Moncton area aren't privy to that same infrastructure, adding public officials need to do more to encourage commuters to get out of the car seat and into the saddle. "They still have some work to do," he said. "We're making headway, though. Most of the new roads have bike lanes. But it's slow going."