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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
448
14th Street Bridge
0
Arlington Mill Trail
229
Ballston Connector
0
Bluemont Connector
0
CC Connector
440
Clarendon EB bike lane
233
Custis Bon Air Park
532
Custis Rosslyn
823
Eads NB
97
Eads SB
77
Fairfax EB bike lane
123
Fairfax WB
115
Joyce St NB
44
Joyce St SB
0
Key Bridge East
917
Key Bridge West
630
Military NB bike lane
26
Military SB bike lane
18
MVT Airport South
1054
Quincy NB bike lane
75
Quincy SB bike lane
81
Roosevelt Bridge
311
Rosslyn Bikeometer
785
TR Island Bridge
665
WOD Bon Air Park
0
WOD Bon Air West
0
WOD Columbia Pike
563
Wilson WB bike lane
171

Peds counted

View Counter Data
110 Trail
339
14th Street Bridge
0
Arlington Mill Trail
363
Ballston Connector
733
Bluemont Connector
0
CC Connector
28
Custis Bon Air Park
62
Custis Rosslyn
371
Eads NB
0
Eads SB
0
Fairfax WB
0
Joyce St NB
23
Joyce St SB
0
Key Bridge East
1350
Key Bridge West
466
MVT Airport South
203
Roosevelt Bridge
118
TR Island Bridge
545
WOD Bon Air Park
0
WOD Bon Air West
0
WOD Columbia Pike
321

All counters, YTD

View Counter Data
Year to Date
5115381