How to Beat the High Price of Gas

Lyle Harris works at a telecommuting center in Fairfax County, where he lives, to avoid the drive to his office in Germantown. Many centers offer copiers and other help. (2005 Photo By Jahi Chikwendiu -- The Washington Post)
Buy Photo

Free parking is available at many park-and-ride lots in the region. Many of the lots provide bus service to Metro and commuter rail lines, including VRE and MARC. To find your nearest lot visit http://www.mwcog.org/commuter2.

METROBUS

Metrobus operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but service intervals vary by time of day and by weekday and weekend. Routes and schedules are available on the Metro Web site.

Fares

$1.25 using SmarTrip; $1.35 using cash; $3 express routes using SmarTrip; $3.10 express routes using cash. Seniors and riders with disabilities pay 60 cents. Bus drivers do not carry money, so riders should have their pass, transfer or exact fare.

CARPOOLS/VANPOOLS

The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments offers a matching service on its Commuter Connections page ( http://www.mwcog.org/commuter2) for commuters interested in carpooling or vanpooling. The site has an interactive tool that allows you to view a list of potential ridesharing partners in your area. The site also offers a guaranteed ride home program, which provides commuters who regularly (twice a week) carpool, vanpool, bike, walk or take transit to work with a free ride home when an emergency, such as a sick child or unscheduled overtime, arises. The program is free but requires registration. Commuter Connections is an excellent all-around source for things commute-related, regardless of your mode of transportation.

If you want to try hitching a ride, or "slugging" as it is fondly called, visit http://www.slug-lines.com

BIKING

Interested in biking to work? Check out the Washington Area Bicyclist Association's Web site, http://www.waba.org. The site has a wealth of information, including some of the most popular commuter bike routes, safety tips and other resources. If your commute is too far to bike all the way, many Metro stations have storage so you can ride your bike to a station, leave it there and take Metro. Storage lockers are available for a fee. For more information, visit http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/bikeracks.cfm. A limited number of bicycles are allowed on Metro but not during prime commuting hours. Bikes are permitted on Metro all day Saturday and Sunday. All Metrobuses are equipped racks on the front, and unlike on Metrorail, bikes are allowed on buses during rush periods. Many District and suburban streets have special bike lanes, but cyclists should remember to follow the rules of the road.

TELECOMMUTING

Commuter Connections offers help to employers who want to start or expand telecommuting options and for employees who are interested in learning about the option. In addition, there are 19 telework facilities across the Washington region for employees who have the option of working closer to home. Many of the centers offer copiers, fax machines, voice mail, meeting rooms and videoconferencing facilities. For more information, including a list of telework centers in the District, Maryland and Virginia, visit the Council of Governments' Commuter Connections page.

Many employers offer incentives to employees who share rides, bike or take transit to work, including help with fares and equipment costs. Check with your company's human resources department.

Individual jurisdictions also offer resources and assistance to commuters. Check with your city or county's transportation department.

SOURCES: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.