UNTIL TWO YEARS ago, 37-year-old systems analyst Justin Moore drove his Ford F-150 to work every day. As gas prices climbed, the pickup, which gets just 12 miles to the gallon, soon became a financial liability. To fill up his truck, Moore shells out $87 a sum that's forced him to rethink his commute.

In 2006, Moore, who lives in San Antonio, bought a Ford Escape hybrid that gets 34 miles per gallon and started driving it to work two days a week. Last month, he took his fuel-reduction campaign one step further by biking to work another two days a week. Between the bike and the hybrid, Moore figures he saves about $104 a month in fuel costs. And despite sweating through 100-degree bike rides home, he says, "I feel good because I'm on a bicycle instead of in my gas-guzzling truck."

With gas prices topping $4 a gallon, commuters across the country are looking for less expensive ways to get to work. Public transportation usage, for example, rose by 3.3% during the first quarter, translating to roughly 85 million more trips than the year-earlier period, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

From riding a city bus to pedaling down the highway, here are five ways to get out from behind the wheel and cut your own commuting costs:

Public transportation

Whether subway, bus or train, transit systems are also getting hit by pricey fuel costs. With record ridership weighing heavily on commuter systems, riders should be aware that a large number of public transportation agencies plan to increase fares and delay system upgrades, according to a May survey by APTA. Nevertheless, taking public transportation is almost always a cheaper alternative to driving solo, especially for those with long-distance commutes. To learn more about public transportation alternatives in your area, check APTA's

web site

.

Employer-sponsored programs

Ask your boss if he can do anything to ease your commuting costs. While some employers may

allow

employees to work from home at least one day a week, others may offer a monthly gas stipend. Under the IRS's Transit Benefit Program for 2008, companies can provide workers with up to $115 a month in tax-free benefits for public transit and vanpools. The tax code also allows employees to use pretax dollars to pay for transit passes, vanpool fares and parking.

Biking/bike sharing

More bike riders mean fewer cars and less congestion. That's why cities like New York and Baltimore are making streets more biker-friendly. Between now and July 2009, New York's transportation department plans to add 110 miles of new bike paths and lanes.

Other cities, including Chicago, Boston and Portland, Ore., are considering bike-sharing programs, which allow registered members to pick up a bike in one part of the city and drop it off somewhere else, says Paul DeMaio, founder of MetroBike LLC, a bike-sharing consulting firm. Washington, D.C. will become the first U.S. city to implement a bike-sharing initiative when in partnership with outdoor advertising company, Clear Channel Outdoor it launches SmartBike DC next month. Membership will cost $40 a year, and each use (for up to three hours) is free.

Local government agencies and regional bike advocacy groups, such as the Washington Area Bicyclists Association and BikeArlington.com, can serve as helpful biking resources, says DeMaio. Also, check out Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips site, which offers advice on everything from safety to parking.

Vanpooling

Even though the average van gets a measly 13 miles per gallon in the city (17 on the highway), vanpoolers can take solace in the fact that with 13 or so passengers in a van fuel economy per passenger is stellar.

See footnote. Michael Norvell, vice president of business development for vanpool service operator VPSI, Inc., says the company's vanpools grew by more than 11% so far this year.

To check for a service in your area, go to VPSI's web site. Also, many local governments provide vanpools for residents. Montgomery County, Md., for example, offers help to drivers who want to form a vanpool. Check with your local department of transportation for more information.

Ride-sharing

In dozens of cities, public-private alliances called Transportation Management Associations offer incentives to residents who join a carpool. A Better City Transportation Management Association in Boston, for example, gives those who sign up to share rides, $35 a month toward gas for six months. For information on individual TMAs, contact the TMA Council at the

Association for Commuter Transportation

.

Don't have a TMA in your area? Seek out regional ride-shares online. Sites like RideshareOnline.com, which serves Washington and Idaho, and eRideshare.com, which serves markets nationwide, are free for commuters to use.

Also See:

• Pay in Cash, Get Cheaper Gas

• Laid Off? Here's How to Stay Afloat

• 9 Ways to Save on Gas This Summer

Footnote:

Assuming gas cost of $4 a gallon, 22 working days a month, an 80-mile round-trip daily commute, and that the average model year 2007 fleet vehicle gets almost 27 miles per gallon in fuel economy (according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), a car commute costs $260 a month.