WASHINGTON — Commuters in the Franconia-Springfield area of Fairfax County may have a new way to “express themselves” if a new slugline takes off.
[related_gallery align=”right”]The developer of the Sluglines app announced a new pickup location at the Franconia-Springfield Metro Kiss & Ride lot in a flyer last week. The new slug stop arrives just in time for the latest surge of Metro’s maintenance plan, which closes sections of the Blue and Yellow lines between Alexandria and Pentagon City through July 18.
The myriad modes of transportation during a Washington rush hour include sluglines — packs of commuters that team up to meet High-Occupancy Vehicle and Toll requirements on Virginia highways. There are dozens of pickup and drop-off locations at parking lots and curbs along Interstate 95, 395 and 66, but the new stop would be a boon for Metro riders affected by the most recent round of track work in Old Town.
Kalai Kandasamy, administrator of the app, tells WTOP that there is already interest from would-be sluggers at the Franconia-Springfield station, who have used the app to check in.
“Riders who are doing Metro right now … they may be easily convinced to pay for the parking and jump on a slugline for a quicker ride,” Kandasamy said.
Kandasamy said these riders could pay the daily parking rate of $4.85 at the Metro station garage and slug to downtown destinations from Springfield.
The morning line forms at the Kiss & Ride off Frontier Drive on weekdays and peaks between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. The drop-off location is L’Enfant Plaza. The afternoon line at L’Enfant Plaza is between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Kandasamy said there is still a need for slug drivers, and is appealing to solo commuters on 95 and 395 with empty seats for help.
“We cannot give a flyer to the drivers in the HOV lanes,” he said.
With an EZ-Pass Flex transponder, he said these drivers could save time and money by swinging past the new slugline and scooping up a few passengers.
Timothy Pracher commutes from Franconia-Springfield to Petworth on Metro and is rooting for the new slugline to succeed.
“The advantage is, it can save money, because the slugline is free and it doesn’t cost the driver for the HOV lanes,” Pracher said.
He has yet to flag down a ride at the new stop.
“I think it’s ideal because it’s at the end of the [Metro] line and so many people take buses or drive there. We just really need to get more drivers,” Pracher said.