Shell Program Encourages Americans to Drive Smarter

HOUSTON, Sept. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- From making small changes to their daily driving routine to ensuring proper vehicle maintenance before setting out on that next road trip, motorists from around the country jumped at the opportunity to share how they will drive smarter as part of the Shell Smarter Driving program.

A well thought out route can make running errands more time efficient and can also help make the most of fuel purchases. Jennifer M. of Cuyahoga Falls, Tenn., drives smarter by "planning, preparing and grouping my errands to the grocery store, dry cleaners, library, bank and post office, in order to save on gas. This way, I can plan ahead and run all my errands in the same area all at once."

Proper vehicle maintenance is also key to stretching your fuel and Anthony V. from Murrieta, Calif., is planning to perform smart maintenance to help save at the pump. Before venturing out on his next trip, he plans to, "keep my engine well-tuned and repair any problems immediately and make sure my tires are not over or under inflated."

These were among the more than 30,000 entries in the Shell Smarter Driving Sweepstakes that ran from August 16 – September 15 vying for a chance to win a new 2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco and a year's supply of free Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines. An entry from Mary Jordan in San Antonio, Texas paid off.  She was chosen at random and will be driving off with her prize. The first thing Mary and her husband plan to do with their new vehicle is to take a road trip to see their children in Virginia.

"We are so grateful to have been selected as the Grand Prize winner in the Smarter Driving Sweepstakes," said Mary Jordan. "My husband and I always practice safe, smarter driving by planning our route out in advance and doing all of our errands at once to limit multiple trips and ensuring our vehicle is properly maintained. We can't wait for our next weekend getaway!"

In addition to the sweepstakes, Shell teamed-up with John and Helen Taylor, known as the world's most fuel efficient couple, during their latest record-setting attempt to help kick-off the Smarter Driving program.  The Taylors completed their 23-day, 48 contiguous U.S. state tour in August achieving an astounding average of 64.42 miles per gallon in an unmodified, non-hybrid gasoline vehicle by using tips from the Smarter Driving program and using Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines exclusively. Their final mileage achieved was more than 50 percent greater than the Environmental Protection Agency's estimated highway fuel economy for the vehicle they drove and surpassed the minimum requirement of 54.5 mpg announced by the government for passenger vehicles to achieve by 2025.

The Taylors' record setting drive was aimed at demonstrating to all drivers that they, too, can use simple tips to stretch their fuel and budget. All they have to do is "MAP" their way to Smarter Driving, which includes:

• Maintenance: Performing smart vehicle maintenance before you drive. For example, keeping your engine well tuned and repairing any problems immediately. If your vehicle has failed an emissions test or is noticeably out of tune, repairing the problem could improve your gasoline mileage by 4 percent on average.*
• Actions: Practicing smart behaviors or actions while you're behind the wheel. Speeding, rapid acceleration and braking can lower your gasoline mileage by 5 percent at lower speeds around town and by 33 percent at highway speeds.*
• Products: Purchasing smart products and services at the right price without sacrificing quality. Lower-quality gasolines can leave harmful carbon deposits or "gunk," which can build up on intake valves and fuel injectors negatively impacting engine performance, vehicle responsiveness and reduction of fuel flow – all potentially leading to reduced fuel economy. Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasolines help clean-up the performance-robbing gunk left by lower quality gasolines.

"As global energy demand rises, Shell continues to improve energy use for transportation through Smarter Mobility, which includes smarter driving, advanced fuels, and alternatives energies. The Shell Smarter Driving program is part of this approach," said Dan Little, North America fuels marketing manager for Shell Oil Products U.S. "It proves that everyone can make a difference.  That's the reason we launched the Shell Smarter Driving program, which is designed to help motorists make the most of their fuel purchases and our natural energy resources."

To learn more about the Shell Smarter Driving program visit www.shell.us/smarterdriving or go to www.Facebook.com/ShellOnTheRoad.

To learn more about Smarter Mobility, go to www.shell.com/smartermobility.

* Source:  www.fueleconomy.gov

** For the purposes of this Prize, "Shell Nitrogen Enriched Gasoline for one year" is calculated as the average consumer's yearly gasoline consumption of 566 gallons (4.1 Fuel Purchases per Month x 11.5 Gallons of Gasoline per Purchase x 12 Months) at an average present-day cost of $3.711 / gallon (consistent with the U.S. Department of Energy statistics for regular grade gasoline as of 08/01/11 (566 x $3.711 = $2,099.68). Fluctuations in gasoline prices after this date will not affect calculation of the prize amount.

Shell Oil Products US, a subsidiary of Shell Oil Company, is a leader in the refining, transportation and marketing of fuels, and has a network of approximately 6,100 branded gasoline stations in the Western United States. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Shell Group [(NYSE:RDS.A) and (NYSE:RDS.B)]. Shell Oil Company is a 50 percent owner of Motiva Enterprises LLC, along with Saudi Refining, Inc. Motiva Enterprises LLC refines and markets branded products through approximately 8,200 Shell-branded stations in the Eastern and Southern United States.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 90 countries and  territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of Liquefied Natural Gas and Gas to Liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects including wind and solar power. For further information, visit www.shell.com

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SOURCE Shell Oil Company