With gas prices creeping toward $4 a gallon locally, it's as good a time as any to try public transit.

Why it matters: In Raleigh, car commuters spend an estimated 42 hours in traffic a year. Navigating by bus and train can help save time and take the edge off.

🚌 The big picture: Buses are the most versatile method of public transit in the Triangle.

• Most operate under the GoTriangle umbrella, though Chapel Hill and Orange County kind of do their own things.
• Curious about where they go? This map is a terrific resource.

💳 How much it costs: None of the bus systems costs more than $5 a day.

• Totals often come in below that if you're staying in one city — GoRaleigh caps fares at $2.50 a day. The standard GoDurham, GoCary, Chapel Hill and Orange County routes are all free.

🚍 How it works: Here's a step-by-step guide to riding.

1. Download the Umo app.
2. Add money to your account if you're riding GoRaleigh or GoTriangle. The GoTriangle routes are always labeled with three numbers or three letters. For example, 400 goes from UNC to Durham, and ZWX stops in Zebulon, Wendell and Raleigh.
3. Plan your route.
4. Get to your stop early. It's frustrating to watch your bus roll past, especially if the next one isn't due for 30 minutes or an hour.
5. Make sure you're on the right side of the street.
6. Approach the road when the bus gets close. Double-check the number and color. GoTriangle buses are typically green; Raleigh's are typically red; and most Durham and Cary buses are blue.
7. Board the bus. Walk right on if it's free. If not, scan the QR code generated by Umo.
8. Enjoy the ride. The bus may not open its doors at every stop, so pull the chain when you're ready to be let off. Nervous about missing your stop? Just ask the driver.

🚏 The bottom line: Public transit has a learning curve, but it'll become second nature in no time. See you out there!

Go deeper into the details

Jesse Lipson has been one of the Triangle's leading tech entrepreneurs for the past two decades. He founded the Raleigh software company ShareFile, which he sold to Citrix, and he now leads Levitate, a maker of communications and marketing software.

Why it matters: Raleigh-based Levitate recently raised $16 million from investors, which will help kick off a hiring round of more than 100 employees.

• That will take its Raleigh headcount at its Gateway Plaza headquarters to around 300, and help fill out new offices in Toronto and Wilmington.

What they're saying: "We see a path to grow north of $100 million [in annual recurring revenue] over the next few years, and to do that, we need the capital and more workers," Lipson told Axios.

We talked with Lipson for our latest Local Limelight conversation. This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

🎓 How did you end up in the Triangle? For school. I went to Duke and met my wife, Brooks Bell, there. She was two years behind me, so I decided to stick around until she graduated, and so we kind of accidentally put down roots here.

🍽️ Favorite place to eat in the Triangle? For a fancy dinner, it's still hard to beat Herons at the Umstead Hotel. One of my old favorites, though, is Bida Manda.

📱 First read in the morning? Unfortunately, Twitter. I am on there a lot more than any healthy person should be.

🎧 Do you have a go-to podcast? I like "20VC," which is a venture capital podcast.

Keep reading for more of the Q&A

🚭 A statewide burn ban is in effect in North Carolina because of drought conditions. (ABC11)

• All 100 counties are experiencing a drought, including a severe one in the Triangle.

🚔 Highway Patrol is cracking down on speeding through April 5. (Facebook)

✈️ A bomb threat snarled early morning traffic at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. (News & Observer)

💵 The budget stalemate in Raleigh is making it harder for state prisons to hire staff and maintain safety. (WUNC)

Former N.C. State basketball player and Tennessee associate head coach Justin Gainey will be the next basketball coach for the Wolfpack, multiple reports say.

Why it matters: After the Will Wade experiment in Raleigh blew up spectacularly, N.C. State athletics director Boo Corrigan is turning to someone who knows the program intimately.

Zoom in: Gainey was a point guard for the Wolfpack from 1996 to 2000, averaging 7 points and 3 assists per game across his career.

• He's been a high-profile assistant coach and recruiter for years, and his name was floated as a potential head coach last year before N.C. State focused on Wade.
• In addition to coaching at Tennessee, he's been on staff at Marquette, Arizona, Santa Clara, Appalachian State and Elon.

It's the home opener, baseball fans.

Driving the news: The Durham Bulls play their first home game at 6:30 tonight against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, followed by fireworks.

The big picture: Thanks to the 1988 film "Bull Durham," the Bulls have historically been one of minor league baseball's most valuable franchises.

• The team is now a Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and owned by Capital Broadcasting.

Yes, but: That success could complicate Raleigh's chance of landing a Major League Baseball franchise. MLB is reportedly planning to expand to two cities in the near future.

What to expect: The ballpark is keeping some beloved traditions alive this season, including the return of its bat dog, Champ, who was recently profiled by Indy Week.

• Friday home games have fireworks. Hot dogs are only $1 on Thursdays. And kids get to run the bases post-game on Sundays.
• Bark in the Park returns Thursday and will be held on five other dates this season.

If you go: Tickets start at $13. Buy them at the box office to avoid processing fees.