THIS IS HOW LESLIE WADE-WOOLLEY GETS TO WORK AT QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY.

SHE'S BEEN USING THE VESPA SCOOTER FOR NEARLY A YEAR NOW AND SAYS IT'S THE PERFECT BLEND OF CONVENIENCE AND FUEL ECONOMY.

BUT SHE DIDN'T ALWAYS THINK THAT WAY.

LESLIE WADE-WOOLLEY

"I WOULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD I HAVE EVER EVEN RIDDEN ON THE BACK OF A MOTORCYCLE."

BUT RISING FUEL PRICES AND A DESIRE TO LESSEN HER CARBON FOOTPRINT....CONVINCED HER TO TAKE THE SCOOTER FOR A SPIN.

AND SHE HASN'T LOOKED BACK SINCE.

NOW A TRIP TO GAS STATION CAN BE PAID WITH POCKET CHANGE.

WADE-WOOLLEY

"I DON'T WANT TO RUN OUT OF GAS SO I NEVER LET IT GET TO THE VERY BOTTOM.

BUT SOME TIMES PRETTY CLOSE.

AND THE MOST I HAVE EVER PUT IN IS 5.75."

CHEAPER STILL ARE THE ELECTRIC SCOOTERS.

YOU CAN GO 60-KILOMETRES ON A THREE HOUR CHARGE.

AND, FOR THESE MODELS NO LICENSE OR INSURANCE ARE REQUIRED.

BUT HELMETS ARE MANDATORY.

STEVE ALFORD

"BECAUSE THE HELMET HAS TO BE THERE, THERE HAS BE A PLACE TO KEEP IT WHEN YOU ARE AT SCHOOL OR AT WORK.

AND THERE IS PLENTY OF ROOM IN THERE FOR RIDING KIT AND YOUR LUNCH IF THAT'S THE CASE."

THIS VESPA DEALER EXPECTS BUSINESS TO RISE, AS THE PRICE OF GAS RISES AS WELL.

SCOOTERS HAVE LONG BEEN FASHIONABLE IN EUROPE, BUT IT'S ONLY IN THE LAST YEAR THAT THEY STARTED FINDING RIDERS IN NORTH AMERICA.... WITH A PRICE RANGE OF 15-HUNDRED FOR THE ELECTRIC, TO 5-THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A TOP OF THE LINE GAS MODEL.

MANY OF THEM CAN EASILY CRUISE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS...THOUGH WADE-WOOLLEY IS SOLD ON THE BENEFITS OF SCOOTING AROUND TOWN.

WADE-WOOLLEY

"ITS SO EASY, ITS THE BEST THING EVER.

PARKING IS A BREEZE TOO.

AT MANY INSTITUTIONS LIKE KGH, SCOOTERS PARK FOR FREE.

THE SAME IS TRUE AT ALL CITY OWNED LOTS IN TORONTO.

NO WORD IF KINGSTON WILL OFFER THE SAME SCOOTER INCENTIVES.

JUST ONE MORE TRANSPORTATION OPTION FOR MOTORISTS TO CONSIDER THE NEXT TIME THEY PULL UP, TO FILL UP.

STU HAY CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.