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Carpooling & Vanpooling

Sharing the ride saves money on fuel, insurance, and car maintenance. It can also reduce time spent on the road, because vehicles with enough passengers can use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes and use 495/95 Express Lanes and I-66 Express Lanes for free with an E-Z Pass Flex in HOV mode. When they're not behind the wheel, passengers can read, nap, or chat, reducing stress. Carpooling and vanpooling also help reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.

There's more than one way to share a ride.

Sharing a ride can be as simple as family members, neighbors, or coworkers deciding to ride to and from work together. But that's not the only way. Local governments, employers, and private companies offer services to match you to an existing carpool or vanpool, or help you form a new one. For instance, in Arlington County, many commercial buildings are required to manage carpool/vanpool incentive programs that offer convenient, reserved spaces and reduced parking rates for 'pool vehicles. Recently, several companies have begun to offer services that allow users to share rides on an occasional basis -- not just for their everyday commute.

Carpooling

Carpooling usually involves a group of people who live and work near each other, commuting together in a private vehicle. Carpool members may take turns driving, and members benefit by not having to drive every day. Carpools that meet the HOV requirement can use HOV and Express lanes, and registered carpools may get access to reserved parking spaces at reduced parking rates.

Although carpooling is usually associated with regular trips to and from work, carpoolers enjoy some of the same benefits when they share a ride to any destination. Increasingly, ride-matching services are becoming available that can match drivers and riders for individual trips, not just every-day commutes.

Vanpooling

A vanpool is generally formed with the help of an employer or vanpool service. Each vanpool has a primary driver/coordinator and one or more alternate drivers. The vanpool participants share cost of the van and all other operating expenses. Riders usually meet at a designated pick-up location like a shopping center parking lot or a park and ride location. The number of pickup and dropoff locations depends on the nature and needs of the vanpool group.

Like carpools, vanpools that meet the HOV requirement can use HOV and Express lanes, and may get access to reserved parking spaces at reduced parking rates.

Unlike carpools, vanpools are eligible for federal tax benefits. Employers may provide employees a tax-deductible subsidy to commute via vanpool.  Or, employees may use pre-tax income to pay for vanpooling expenses. Tax breaks provide another financial incentive to share the ride.

Slug Lines

An interesting side effect of HOV and Express lanes in the Washington, D.C. area has been the establishment of unofficial carpool-formation areas called "slug lines." Commuters catch free rides with drivers who need additional riders to be able to use the HOV lanes along their route to and from work.

More Information and Slug Line Resources

Slug-Lines.com – Slugging and slug lines information for the Washington, D.C. area

Ridesharing and Ride-matching Services

Services operating in the Washington, DC area that provide information, match riders to carpools and vanpools, and assist in forming carpools and vanpools.

Other Ridesharing Resources

ExpressLanes.com
Express Lanes are available to high-occupancy vehicles and solo drivers willing to pay a toll. All users will need an E-ZPass® transponder; high-occupancy vehicles will need the E-ZPass Flex.

EZPassVA.com
Information from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) about E-Z Pass® and E-Z Pass® Flexsm.

The Commuter Store
E-ZPass available here!

Park and Ride Lots
For commuters who can't walk, bike, or take transit to the carpool or vanpool meeting place or slug line location, Park and Ride Lots provide a place to leave the car.

Arlington’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Counters

Bikes counted

View Counter Data
110 Trail
658
14th Street Bridge
2333
Arlington Mill Trail
296
Ballston Connector
0
Bluemont Connector
328
CC Connector
743
Clarendon EB bike lane
199
Custis Bon Air Park
957
Custis Rosslyn
1001
Eads NB
39
Eads SB
60
Fairfax EB bike lane
114
Fairfax WB
135
Joyce St NB
67
Joyce St SB
0
Key Bridge East
918
Key Bridge West
435
Military NB bike lane
34
Military SB bike lane
29
MVT Airport South
2098
Quincy NB bike lane
100
Quincy SB bike lane
64
Roosevelt Bridge
295
Rosslyn Bikeometer
0
TR Island Bridge
1025
WOD Bon Air Park
0
WOD Bon Air West
0
WOD Columbia Pike
859
Wilson WB bike lane
215

Peds counted

View Counter Data
110 Trail
620
14th Street Bridge
0
Arlington Mill Trail
923
Ballston Connector
0
Bluemont Connector
1197
CC Connector
785
Custis Bon Air Park
895
Custis Rosslyn
680
Eads NB
0
Eads SB
0
Fairfax WB
0
Joyce St NB
75
Joyce St SB
0
Key Bridge East
2458
Key Bridge West
614
MVT Airport South
762
Roosevelt Bridge
9
TR Island Bridge
1612
WOD Bon Air Park
0
WOD Bon Air West
0
WOD Columbia Pike
737

All counters, YTD

View Counter Data
Year to Date
1040059