A Los Angeles Times Special Report : Coping With The Quake : Recovering From Disaster, Preparing for the Future : Getting Around by Public Transit May Be Hard

Travel on public transportation may prove difficult during the first days afterthe earthquake given the uncertain state of roadways and rail lines.

But as inspections are completed and aftershocks wane, trains and buses may help reduce commute times and headaches. And, the stress of dealing with post-earthquake commuting delays and devastated freeways may actually be enough to force some people to consider--imagine it!--car-pooling.

“They may find their resistance to trying it has been overcome,” said Raymond Novaco, professor of psychology and social behavior at UC Irvine, who has conducted numerous studies on long-distance commuting stress.

Amtrak was operational by noon Monday between San Diego and Los Angeles. However, any earthquake of magnitude 5.5 or greater requires the line to shut down and all tracks to be inspected before travel can resume. This shutdown occurred at least twice Monday. (Commuters call the toll-free reservations number, (800) 872-7245, for details on operation.)

Expect some delays as buses take detours around damaged areas, said Bill Heard, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

All lines were running Monday except for Line 243 serving Woodland Hills. Bus and rail riders can call the MTA’s main service number, (213) 626-4455. Be patient. Even the bus information service was knocked out by a power outage Monday.

Blue Line rail service between Los Angeles and Long Beach is running, but passengers will likely have to board buses in the middle of the line to get around a damaged bridge at the Slauson station. The bus ride is free, but the delay could add up to 30 minutes to the normal trip of an hour, Heard said.

The Red Line subway appeared to have minimal damage, but if service is interrupted today, officials said special buses will take its place.

Metrolink, the 200-mile network of commuter rail to outlying cities, was still assessing late Monday whether to resume its normal schedule today.