ANCHOR LEAD:
WE ALL KNOW HYBRID CARS ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY...BUT THAT ISN'T THE ONLY PERK THAT COMES WITH BUYING THESE HIGH TECH WHEELS. HERE'S ____ WITH A HEADS UP ON HOW HYBRIDS CAN HELP YOU WITH EVERYTHING FROM STASHING EXTRA CASH TO STAYING OUT OF TERRIBLE TRAFFIC!

TRACK ONE Length: 07
WHEN SANDRA BRYANT'S 12-YEAR-OLD CAR STALLED FOR THE LAST TIME...SHE DECIDED TO TAKE THE HYBRID ROUTE....AND COULDN'T BE HAPPIER!

SOT
KEY @: 09 Sandra Bryant, Hybrid Owner
"I love my car. I love driving my car. It feels like a luxury vehicle."

TRACK TWO Length: 06
SANDRA SAYS OTHER LUXURIES LIKE LOWER GAS BILLS AND A FAT TAX DEDUCTION HELPED FUEL HER DECISION TO GO GREEN.

SOT
KEY @: 19 Sandra Bryant, Hybrid Owner
"When you're filling out your taxes, it's always nice to do a two thousand dollar tax break!"

TRACK THREE Length: 06
PHIL REED WITH EDMUNDS.COM SAYS THIS YEAR, THAT TAX DEDUCTION IS GETTING AN UPGRADE...TO A TAX CREDIT!

SOT
KEY @: 30 Phil Reed, Edmunds.Com
"This is a direct savings to your tax bill whereas last year it was just a reduction of your income. This means the more money in your pocket."

TRACK FOUR Length: 02
UP TO THIRTY- FOUR-HUNDRED DOLLARS!

SOT
KEY @: 48 Phil Reed, Edmunds.Com
"It will depend on the car that you choose, the miles per gallon that it gets, and what you pay for it."

TRACK FIVE Length: 12
THIS TAX BREAK ISN'T THE ONLY PERK DRIVING CONSUMERS TO HYBRIDS. BUYING ONE WILL EVEN BUY YOU FREE PARKING IN A GROWING NUMBER OF CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY...AND ACCESS TO SOME CAR POOL LANES EVEN WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING SOLO.

SOT
Length: 06(Phil Reed, Edmunds.Com)
"You need to have a clean air sticker on your vehicle. It just saves hours off of your commute time over the course of a week. "

TRACK SIX Length: 09
NOTE TO CLIENTS: For more details on this insurance policy, please refer to the source information below.
SOME AUTO INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE ALSO GIVING HYBRID OWNERS THE KEY TO SAVINGS. TRAVELERS INSURANCE IS NOW STARTING TO ROLL OUT A DISCOUNT PLAN FOR HYBRID OWNERS!

SOT
KEY @: 1:11 Greg Toczydlowski, Travelers Insurance
"It is a ten percent discount. And it applies to the majority of the coverages."

TRACK SEVEN Length: 06
SANDRA SAYS THAT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE HER CONSIDER SWITCHING PROVIDERS...BUT SHE'S HAPPY WITH THE EXTRA CASH THAT'S SHE'S ALREADY POCKETED.

SOT
Length:03(Sandra Bryant, Hybrid Owner)
"Every little bit of money savings is going to help anyone!"

ANCHOR TAG:
REED SAYS THESE PERKS ARE MEANT TO BOOST HYBRID SALES, REDUCE OIL CONSUMPTION AND HELP KEEP OUR AIR CLEAN. BUT SOME TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS FEAR THE PERKS ARE WORKING TOO WELL...CLOGGING UP H-O-V LANES AND CUTTING DOWN ON CARPOOLING IN SOME AREAS.

ADDITIONAL TAG INFORMATION:
EDMUNDS.COM ALSO SAYS THAT SOME BIG COMPANIES ARE NOW OFFERING THEIR EMPLOYEES $2,000 UP FRONT TO PURCHASE A HYBRID AND PROMOTE A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Philip Reed
Edmunds.com
2401 Colorado Ave, Suite 250
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Media Contact: Jeannine Fallon
(310) 309-6331
Phil Reed is a consumer advice expert with Edmunds.com. He responds to consumers who post questions on the site and writes a regular column for car buyers. He is also the co-author of a book called Strategies for Car Buyers.

Greg Toczydlowski
Travelers Insurance
One Tower Square
Hartford, CT 06183
Media Contact: Jennifer Wislocki
(860) 277-7458
Greg Toczydlowski is the Senior Vice President of Product Management for Travelers Insurance, where he was worked for 15 years in various capacities. He is currently leading the product management group within the personal lines division. He also developed the idea for the 10% auto insurance discount for hybrid owners, an idea he calls his "gas station revelation."

EXTRA BACKGROUND/SOURCE INFORMATION
TRACK SIX:
As of February 20th, 2006, Travelers Insurance will have rolled out its 10% hybrid automobile discount in approximately 29 states and Washington D.C. These states are:

Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, Delaware, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Vermont, Idaho, Texas.

Travelers plans on adding additional states to the list by mid-year. However, due to strict regulatory constraints, there are a few states where this discount will not be available. Massachusetts is one of these states. For more information, head to www.hybridtravelers.com.

Experts say this is a hot topic being considered by many insurers, and regional programs may be in place. Check with local insurers for programs in your area.