CENTRAL NEW YORK -- When asked what "hypermiling" was, most drivers did not know.

"I'm not familiar with that concept. Can you explain that?" asked Marvin Potter of Syracuse.

Hypermiling is a method of increasing gas mileage by changing your driving habits, like moving in traffic congestion, accelerating slowly after stops and using cruise control. Most drivers may not know the terminology, but they know the tricks.

"They say try to keep your speed under 60 miles an hour," said Derrick Barnes of Liverpool.

"Cruise control definitely. I definitely should start doing that," said Greg Diciola of Auburn.

And experts say those tricks really do work. Start tracking your mileage, start hypermiling and you'll see a difference.

"You write down the dollar amount and then you figure out how many miles per gallon. You can see by just doing those few simple steps really does increase your gas mileage," said Charlie LaPrease a service manager at Lou's Car Care.

And while mechanics advocate hypermiling, they say routine maintenance is the best way to save some cash at the pump.

"You want to make sure that your car is running well so that you don't burn unnecessary fuel when you are driving," said LaPrease.

So remember those hypermiling tips and start saving.

For more information about hypermiling, visit ecomodder.com.