In August 2022, GWRideConnect conducted a survey of slugging in the George Washington Region, Planning District 16. Slugging, also known as casual or instant carpooling, is when a driver picks up non-paying passenger(s) at a specific pickup location and drops the passenger(s) off at an existing drop-off location that is agreed upon before the rider enters the vehicle. Slugging is an effective form of ridesharing that reduces vehicle miles travelled (VMT’s). Slugging began in this area in the 1970’s.
While the numbers are not what they were pre-COVID, Stafford County’s Staffordboro Park and Ride Lot located off Route 610 logged substantial participation. They surveyors counted 289 riders (slugs) that were picked up by 153 cars on Tuesday, August 9, 2022. The full report can be read here: https://www.gwrideconnect.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Slug-Survey-2022-Final-Report.pdf