Trump’s return-to-office mandate has revived the informal carpooling tradition of “slugging,” in which suburban commuters looking for a ride wait in line to get picked up by drivers wanting to take advantage of HOV lanes. Below, a few slugging numbers.
3,024
Number of spaces at Woodbridge’s Horner and Telegraph Lots, a commuter-parking complex that’s one of the most popular slug pickup spots.
7
Number of slug lines at Horner. Destinations include the Pentagon, 14th Street, and L’Enfant Plaza.
10
Estimated percentage of DC workers living in Northern Virginia who use slugging to get to work.
The year slugging took off. Hoping to reduce fuel use during an oil crisis, Virginia officials introduced HOV-4 lanes, and commuters soon worked out the informal carpool system.
5:30 am
Time that sluggers tend to start gathering at Horner. You can usually get a ride at one of the Woodbridge lots until about 8 am.
$800
Amount a driver could save on I-395 tolls over the course of a month by slugging instead.
Slugging Makes a Comeback for DC Area Commuters
What’s the deal with this carpooling hack?
Trump’s return-to-office mandate has revived the informal carpooling tradition of “slugging,” in which suburban commuters looking for a ride wait in line to get picked up by drivers wanting to take advantage of HOV lanes. Below, a few slugging numbers.
3,024
Number of spaces at Woodbridge’s Horner and Telegraph Lots, a commuter-parking complex that’s one of the most popular slug pickup spots.
7
Number of slug lines at Horner. Destinations include the Pentagon, 14th Street, and L’Enfant Plaza.
10
Estimated percentage of DC workers living in Northern Virginia who use slugging to get to work.
$441.53
Current price of the out-of-print 1999 book Slugging: The Commuting Alternative for Washington DC on AbeBooks. Now a collector’s item, the guide, by slugging guru David LeBlanc, includes maps and tips.
1973
The year slugging took off. Hoping to reduce fuel use during an oil crisis, Virginia officials introduced HOV-4 lanes, and commuters soon worked out the informal carpool system.
5:30 am
Time that sluggers tend to start gathering at Horner. You can usually get a ride at one of the Woodbridge lots until about 8 am.
$800
Amount a driver could save on I-395 tolls over the course of a month by slugging instead.
This article appears in the May 2025 issue of Washingtonian.
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