Sharing the ride makes for a much happier and relaxed commute. King County photo by Ned Ahrens.

Does the high cost of gasoline have you gripping the steering wheel a little tighter these days? Why not let Metro help you share a ride and cut down on transportation costs?

Metro offers three options for commuters who are trying to cut back on gas consumption: regular bus service; vanpools and van sharing; and carpool ridematches.

More than 300,000 people ride regular Metro buses each weekday, either walking to a bus stop near their home or parking at one of the 122 park-and-ride lots located across the county.

But for many people, bus service doesn't quite meet their commuting needs. That's when they turn to Metro's Rideshare services to find a vanpool or carpool that gives them an alternative commute solution. Metro also offers vehicles, called VanShares, which make the final connection between park-and-rides, Sounder train stations, or ferry terminals and your work destination.

In the past two months, inquiries about ridesharing have doubled over the same time last year. Almost 30 percent of the people contacting Metro since March have said the “cost of gas” is the reason they are requesting a ridematch.

Metro and partner agencies make it easy. All the information and access to ridematch names are available online at RideshareOnline.com. Log on, check out the different options for vanpools and carpools, then fill out a quick registration page and you are put in contact with other people with similar destinations and schedules. Select names on your list and send a pre-written email message to get you closer to being on the road with a shared ride.

For vanpooling, Metro will provide the wheels and help to get you going. Whether your group needs an eight, 12, or 15-person van, Metro will tell you how to form your vanpool and then provide the vehicle, insurance and maintenance to keep your van running in tip-top shape. Visit Metro Online, or call 1-800-427-8249 for more information about starting your own vanpool or about vehicles that make the final commute connection from the bus, train or ferries.

Even before the gas prices started to climb this spring, ridesharing was very popular in King County. In 2003, there were more than 1.7 million trips taken on vanpools, and Metro staff processed more than 14,000 ridematches for new and current customers.

“Vanpools and carpools are a smart way to share the ride - and expenses,” said Cathy Blumenthal, chief of Metro's Rideshare Operations. “It's also a ticket into the HOV lanes to get you where you are going faster. You help eliminate traffic congestion, pollution, and your own personal stress level when you share the ride.”

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Military landings at county airport  

King County International Airport (Boeing Field) will support the U.S military this summer by accepting occasional diverted flights from McChord Air Force Base, south of Tacoma. The military base's runway is undergoing major reconstruction, prompting the need to redirect some flights to other airports, including KCIA.

KCIA expects to see occasional military operations, primarily during daytime and evening hours, through mid-August. Flights are expected to be a mix of military cargo and commercial aircraft used to support troop deployment.

The number of diverted flights is expected to be small and should not impact existing operations or ground activity at the airport.