For many businesses, each day is a new battle in an effort to turn a profit.

And, as gas prices continue to climb, they have to make crucial decisions on what or whom to cut to stay within the budget.

It may look like another road work machine, but the underlying secret to this contraption is that it will soon save the Pike County Road Department thousands of dollars.

Pike Co. Engineer Russell Oliver said, "We're purchasing some smaller pieces of equipment that we hope will help us operate more efficiently."

Oliver says within the next month or two, the county will be receiving new machines that will cut down on fuel costs while adding to the amount of efficiency.

The department needs the extra cash since the number of employees has decreased.

"We could use more employees than we have right now, but we really can't afford to hire any more. So, we have to turn to our equipment to help us operate more efficiently," Oliver said.

Pike isn't the first county to take advantage of cost-saving machines.

Barbour County has been using them for about two years now.

Barbour Co. Engineer Patrick McDougauld said, "If one of us does something that turns out to be a good idea, we're glad to let our neighbors be a guinea pig, but we all share ideas."

One of the new machines will have the job of filling pot holes, which will use only one employee, whereas the old machine used the manpower of four or five.

And, while the amount of workers has decreased, Oliver says the productivity certainly will not.

"It'll help us address complaints and problems faster and hopefully provide safer roads," Oliver said.

The total cost for the new equipment is $49,000 dollars.

The money used to purchase the equipment was raised by selling old surplus equipment.

Officials are hoping the machines will cut down fuel costs by $40,000 or $50,000 dollars.