Airman 'slugs' his way through D.C. assignment

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Rush-hour traffic in the national capital region can be frustrating. To fend off the bumper-to-bumper blues, several servicemembers and civilians have taken to "slugging" -- the nickname given to instant carpooling here.

To use the high occupancy vehicle lanes on many of the highways here, drivers must have other people riding with them. The lanes are set aside to encourage carpooling and help commuters skirt highway congestion.

“Slugging is a great way to get yourself to and from work without having to drive yourself,” said two-year Fredericksburg, Va., resident Master Sgt. Roy Blanchard.

Sergeant Blanchard is a recruiter for the Air Force Reserve and has a 2 1/2 hour commute to the Pentagon every day -- slugging cuts that down to 50 minutes.

Signs in the Pentagon parking lot list the directions sluggers routinely head. A driver going that way pulls up to the lines that form around the signs, picks up riders and then drops them off at a specific slug point along that route.

“At first I was skeptical,” he said. “I wasn’t going to get in the car with a stranger, but after a few long trips on (Interstate) 95, I was ready to give it a try.”

Sergeant Blanchard has been slugging ever since.

“I’ve never had bad luck with any of the drivers I’ve ridden with,” Sergeant Blanchard said. “I’ve never gone without getting a ride and the longest I’ve ever had to wait was probably 45 minutes, but that hasn’t happened very often.”

He said there is a certain camaraderie as well as an etiquette between sluggers:

-- If someone has extra room, don’t push for a ride.

-- Keep cell phone calls to a minimum.

-- Kick the dirt off shoes or boots before getting in someone’s car.

-- Don’t smoke.

-- The driver has control of the radio.

-- Always be polite.

Slugging is excellent for energy conservation as well, Sergeant Blanchard said.

“I have a big truck, so with the price of gas these days, I’d go broke just filling up as often as I’d have to,” he said. “So it’s a great way to get around while still saving money and being energy conscious.”

There have been times, however, when Sergeant Blanchard knew he would be working later than usual, meaning he’d have to drive to work. In those cases, he said he stops by the slug lines for anyone left needing a ride. Sort of like giving back to the slug community, he said.

“As you get more comfortable with it, it’s the best way to go,” he said.