“Requesting officials to support slugging by designating curb spaces in DC and Arlington with slug pickup signs. Provide additional parking spaces, secure parking lots and update all parking lots with slug pickup signs and shelter along I-66 and I-95 corridor. Add slugging to policy, strategic plans and Transportation Demand Management (TDM ) programs”

For the past four decades, Sluglines have helped fill up empty seats along I-95 corridor. Today about 10,000 commuters slug along I-95 corridor from Fairfax, Prince William and Stafford County to the Pentagon, Rosslyn and Crystal City in Arlington and DC Locations. To put this in perspective, Sluglines ridership, which is 20,000 is similar to VRE ridership which is 19,000. Sluglines also reduces about 6500 vehicles going to Arlington and DC every day. Sluglines also saves about $2500 per year for each rider and lot more for drivers in tolls.

“Empty seats in private vehicles might be the greatest untapped transportation opportunity in the United States. Average vehicle occupancy across the country is less than two persons per vehicle, while the vast majority of private vehicles have the capacity to carry four or more passengers comfortably. Low occupancy levels happen despite the fact that many of these car trips occur at about the same time (peak hours) and have similar destinations. The excessive number of vehicles on roadways causes a host of negative externalities such as traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and lost productivity due to traffic-related delays.”
– Source: Marc Oliphant, Allen Greenberg, Ron Boenau, and Jeremy Raw

Work environment is changing, most of the commuters have flexwork or telework options. Slugging provides flexibility in start time and does not tie up driver and rider for the ride. Slugging  is also the most efficient mode of transportation by cost and time. Arlington Transportation Partners commuter race provides insight into time and cost for each modes of transportation.

ATP - 2018 Annual Commute Race

ATP – 2018 Annual Commute Race

* Slugging is free for riders. Drivers with two or more passengers drive free on Express Lanes with their E-ZPass Flex switched to “HOV ON’ mode. Riders who do not have a drop off location close to their work take bus, Metro, Capital Bike Share or even Uber Pool to complete their commute between drop off location and work. In this case rider paid $2 bus fare to take Arlington Transit (ART) bus service to complete the last leg. Source: Arlington Transportation Partners

The Pentagon, leadership support the slugging community knowing that less than 50% of sluggers work at the Pentagon. Slugging helps the Pentagon lead the region in reducing Single Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) trips with just 34% of the population commuting via SOV compared to 54% for federal and 73% for the region.

It will be helpful if Virginia and DC officials work together with employers to help Sluglines network by providing infrastructure that will help both I-95 and I-66 corridor commuters. Sluglines will be able to take some pressure of public transportation during the 2020 Orange Line and Silver Line maintenance along I-66 Corridor.