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.
Most Popular in News & Politics
See a Spotted Lanternfly? Here’s What to Do.
Meet DC’s 2025 Tech Titans
Patel Dined at Rao’s After Kirk Shooting, Nonviolent Offenses Led to Most Arrests During Trump’s DC Crackdown, and You Should Try These Gougères
The “MAGA Former Dancer” Named to a Top Job at the Kennedy Center Inherits a Troubled Program
Trump Travels One Block From White House, Declares DC Crime-Free; Barron Trump Moves to Town; and GOP Begins Siege of Home Rule
Washingtonian Magazine
September Issue: Style Setters
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Why a Lost DC Novel Is Getting New Attention
These Confusing Bands Aren’t Actually From DC
Fiona Apple Wrote a Song About This Maryland Court-Watching Effort
The Confusing Dispute Over the Future of the Anacostia Playhouse
More from News & Politics
Fiesta DC Is Still on Despite Fears of ICE and Other Festival Cancellations
Administration Steps Up War on Comedians, Car Exhibition on the Mall Canceled After Tragedy, and Ted Leonsis Wants to Buy D.C. United
What Happens After We Die? These UVA Researchers Are Investigating It.
Why a Lost DC Novel Is Getting New Attention
Bondi Irks Conservatives With Plan to Limit “Hate Speech,” DC Council Returns to Office, and Chipotle Wants Some Money Back
GOP Candidate Quits Virginia Race After Losing Federal Contracting Job, Trump Plans Crackdown on Left Following Kirk’s Death, and Theatre Week Starts Thursday
5 Things to Know About “Severance” Star Tramell Tillman
See a Spotted Lanternfly? Here’s What to Do.