AUBURN - Ronn Deschaine traded his gas-guzzling Oldsmobile for a two-wheel personal transporter called a Segway.

"It's cheap," said Deschaine, 62. "It doesn't use gas at all. It's all electrical." He figures it costs about 12 cents to charge the battery, which he does by plugging in at home. Each charge will carry him 20 miles, so it costs less than a penny a mile.

"When I drove my Oldsmobile, I used to spend at least $100 a month on gas. Now I wave when I go by the pumps," he said with a laugh.

Deschaine works as a custodian at Park Avenue Elementary School. The commute is about two miles from his James Street home.

"I drove it all winter, up that hill and down the hill," he said. He drove it on all but five days, when the weather was too bad, he said.

Winter driving requires precautions, such as taking side streets and using the road instead of sidewalks.

"When one wheel starts to slip you have to be real careful. I fell a couple of times," Deschaine said. He wasn't hurt, he said. "It's the safest thing. There's no metal to kill you. It's like a wheelchair, only you're standing up."

The Segway has three speeds: first gear goes up to 5½ mph, second goes to 8½ mph, and third goes to 12½ mph. His will carry up to 260 pounds.

A former helicopter pilot, Deschaine drives the Segway "for the fun of it. It keeps me active."

And its contribution to global warming is negligible.

"We should all take personal steps toward that," he said.