NEENAH, Wis. -- Two credit unions, one in Wisconsin and the other in Vermont, are pedaling scooter loans this spring to provide members an alternative or perhaps relief from pain at the pump.

And at the same time the Pennsylvania Credit Union Association is surveying its members this week on how CUs are coping with gas prices, whether perhaps cutting travel to branches or providing g assistance or incentives to employees to help with transportation expenses.

"We'll gather the comments and provide a report in a future issue," promised the PCUA in its Life is a Highway e-mail newsletter.

In Wisconsin, the $23 million Evergreen CU of Neenah said that while members and employees suffer from $4 gallon gas "our timing looks like it was pretty good" in debuting the scooter loans two months ago. "So far we've issued 75 loans and that's not bad," said Debbie Burley, vice president of operations.

The discounted loans were promoted as part of a scooter giveaway in line with a 50th birthday celebration of the CU. Evergreen with 3,000 members holds a community charter but formerly had a large paper mill as its prime sponsor. Also offering scooter loans this month as part of a greening promotion is the $19 million Green Mountain CU of S. Burlington, Vt.

"We're trying to demonstrate energy efficiency," said Ginny Fleischman, president/CEO.