Excuse: "It's too frustrating waiting for a bus with no idea of when it's going to arrive."

Answer: "If you're riding on a bus system that uses NextBus—which includes Metro and all lines in Ventura County, among others—you can obtain real-time travel information via phone, cellphone or text messaging. You simply enter your bus stop location, and NextBus uses GPS tracking to tell you when the next bus will arrive.

Excuse: "I tried to get a carpool at RideMatch.info, but they didn't have anyone for me."

Answer: "RideMatch.info—which is Southern California's #1 free ridematching service—has been recently updated to allow users to receive email updates. If you don't find the perfect carpool or vanpool match right away, check the box to request that any matches be forwarded to you as soon as they are available."

Excuse: "Driving alone gives me quiet time so I can de-stress after work."

Answer:  “If Metrolink is an option for your commute, travel in one of their recently introduced Quiet Cars, which don’t allow talking, use of cellphones, or other audio devices without headphones. Many vanpools also set quiet rules—and being driven to work is a whole lot more relaxing than fighting traffic.”

Excuse: "Why bother using the carpool lane when there's a chance it won't be going any faster than the regular lanes?"

Answer: "While it does happen on occasion that carpool lanes get congested, they typically travel faster than the regular lanes, saving commuters on average 20 minutes. To be sure your carpool lane is up to speed, check travel times before you go at Go511.com or IE511.org (where you can see speeds on carpool vs. regular lanes in real time).

Excuse: "I enjoy bicycling, but it's too far to ride my bike to work."

Answer: "If you ride only as far as the nearby transit stop, it's easier than ever to bring your bike on board bus or rail. Nearly all buses have bike racks, so you can quickly 'stow and go.' Metrolink recently converted 10 of its trains to bicycle cars, which accommodate 18 bikes (vs. two). Metro lifted restrictions on bikes so you can take your bike on Metro Rail anytime, in any direction, as space allows."

Excuse: "I don't ride the bus often enough for a monthly pass, but I don't want to hassle with buying a ticket every time."

Answer: "There are other options. Metro offers TAP, a transit pass that you can pre-load with fare cash, and then the correct fare is deducted as you tap it on a turnstile to enter the station or bus. OCTA offers special 10-pack single fare bundles, and many transit systems—including Riverside Transit Agency—are switching over to electronic fares."

Excuse: "There's no point using carpool lanes—I hear they're all being converted to toll lanes, anyway."

Answer: "Only a segment of carpool lanes on the 10 and 110 Freeways are being converted, and that hasn't happened yet. When it does—similarly to the 91 Express Lanes—carpoolers using a transponder can still ride free or at a discount (depending on how many people are in the car)."