How to Beat the High Price of Gas

Sunday, July 13, 2008

With gas prices at record levels and traffic congestion worsening, we've pulled together some options for commuters trying to save time and money. Whether you want to carpool, bike, take transit or telecommute, the Washington region offers a variety of choices.

METRORAIL

Metro ( http://www.wmata.com) is the most obvious alternative for commuters who want to get off the roads. There are 86 Metro stations in service within a 106.3-mile network. The transit system has 40 stations in the District, 26 in Maryland and 20 in Virginia. All trains and stations are accessible to people with disabilities. During rush periods, trains arrive about every five to six minutes.

Hours: Metro opens at 5 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. weekends. Stations are open until midnight Sunday through Thursday and 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Regular fare (Weekdays from 5 to 9:30 a.m., 3 to 7 p.m. and 2 a.m. to closing)

$1.65 minimum; $4.50 maximum

Reduced fare (All other times)

$1.35 minimum, $1.85 midrange, $2.35 maximum

Seniors 65 and older, people with disabilities and customers with a Medicare card and valid photo ID ride for half the regular fare.

A subway novice?

Metro has an easy online tool that can help you plan your trip using rail, bus or a combination of the two. Just plug in the time, starting place and destination. Go to http://www.wmata.com/tripplanner.

Parking

Metro operates parking facilities at 42 Metrorail stations, which offer daily or hourly parking; 35 stations offer reserved parking in which customers buy permits and park in reserved spaces. Short-term metered parking costs $1 an hour; parking at Metro lots is free on weekends and federal holidays. Daily parking fees at most facilities must be paid with a SmarTrip card. The cost of a permit for monthly reserved parking is $55 at all stations, and customers with such permits also are required to pay the daily fee each time they park.

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.