California Registers First Drop In Gas Consumption In 14 Years

PASADENA, CA - APRIL 13: A man purchasing a ticket is reflected in the window of a passing Metro Rail train as Los Angeles metropolitan area commuters bypass rush-hour traffic on April 13, 2007 in Pasadena, California. As the national thirst for fuel increases, drivers in California, where gas costs more than $3 a gallon, are bucking the trend by driving a little less, using hybrid cars, or opting to ride trains and buses instead of their own vehicles. For the first time in 14 years, California motorists used less gasoline than the year before. Californians drive135,425 hybrids, more than a quarter of the nation?s total and Los Angeles' regional Metrolink train ridership has risen more than 5% with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority reporting an increased ridership of 6.5% on their buses and trains. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)