• Americans are changing how they commute to save on gas

Gasoline prices around $4 per gallon are causing more Americans to change their commute habits. In a new survey by Robert Half International, Inc., 44% of respondents said gas prices have affected how or when they get to work – up from 34% a year ago (when gas was about $2.89 a gallon). The most common changes include ridesharing, driving a more fuel-efficient car, telecommuting and looking for a job closer to home.

 • Start a vanpool in LA County and get a $300 gas allowance

    The Metro Vanpool Program offers subsidies of $400 per month toward the cost of a public van’s lease, and now the first 100 new start-up vanpools that enroll in the Metro Vanpool Program between August 1 and Sept. 30 can also earn a $300 gas allowance. To qualify for the gas allowance, each newly enrolled Metro Vanpool must be in operation for at least one month and lease from a Metro participating vendor. For more information, contact a qualifying vanpool leasing agency (listed at metro.net/vanpool).

• Could you still pass a driving test?

More than 16% of drivers on the road – amounting to roughly 33 million licensed Americans – would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today, according to a survey conducted by GMAC Insurance. The survey tested driver knowledge by administering 20 actual questions taken from state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) exams. Kansas drivers ranked first in the nation, with an average test score of 84%; New Jersey drivers ranked last, with an average score of 69.9%. California drivers ranked 33rd. How would you stack up? Take the test at gmacinsurance.com

• LAX FlyAway buses now accepting EZ transit passes

    LAX FlyAway buses (which offer service from downtown Los Angeles, Westwood or Van Nuys to LAX) now accept EZ transit passes with a "zone 6 premium sticker" as fare. In addition, all EZ transit pass holders (regardless of zone) can pay the price difference in cash to board a FlyAway bus. EZ transit passes allow riders to utilize all Metro buses and trains as well as 23 other public transit carriers in Los Angeles County. For more information on FlyAway service, go to lawa.org; for EZ transit pass, go to metro.net

• Inland employers "star" in rideshare campaign

Inland Empire employers recently starred in an ad campaign featured in San Bernardino newspapers in May and June. The ads, which read, "Stretch your dollars – rideshare" and included the tagline, “gas is cheap if you don’t buy any,” stressed the cash-saving benefits of ridesharing. Shown are: Donna Rucker and Mark Piniol, County of Riverside; Kendra Lakkees, County of San Bernardino; Tabetha Johnson, ESRI; Ken Miller, Lowes Regional Distribution Center; Paul Pitman, March Air Reserve Base; Natalie Gomez, Riverside Transit Agency; LaVerne Williams, Roadway Express and Candace Garcia and Michelle Martinez, Inland Transportation Services.