High Gas Prices-Creative Carpooling

High gas prices are leading more commuters to use a dynamic carpooling method called "slugging."

Sandra Endo explains how it works.

Long lines, to hop in a car with strangers, with gas prices...




More people are resorting to blind carpooling, called slugging -- a way commuters from northern Virginia, going to Washington, catch a free ride with drivers looking to beat the rush.

These are slugs!

These are all slugs waiting to hop in cars.

It started more than 30 years ago, but David Leblanc’s website helped organize this pseudo-secret society, listing where passengers can line up to find a ride.

For the drivers, especially with gas prices so high, it's not really benefiting them or saving them any money to pick up slugs, right?

Correct. It's not saving them any money, but it is saving them a lot of time. Like I said, it probably saves me at least 20 to 30 minutes each way on the commute.

That's because Virginia law requires drivers to have at least three people in a vehicle to use carpool lanes to breeze by the stop-and-go traffic.

We've added more and more slug lines. As gas prices increase, those that may not have considered slugging now look at it as an option.

Leblanc easily picks up a passenger hitching a ride from Virginia to the pentagon.

Why did you decide to slug?

It's inexpensive, it gets me where I need to go, and gas is really expensive nowadays.

So, otherwise, what options would you have to go to work?

I would have to drive, I would have to catch a cab, or catch the commuter bus, the Omniride.

So, how much would that cost?

With gas, nowadays, anywhere between 60-70 dollars to fill up my tank. With the commuter bus, $7, which would be 14 for the whole day.

These non-descript slug lines form for the evening commute for commuters going back to northern Virginia from dc. And the practice is catching on in other congested cities, like in Dallas and San Francisco.

A commuting partnership -- to save time and money.

This is a free ride.

I know. You can't beat it.

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