Fairfax, Va. – September 17, 2026 -- Commuters along Virginia's I-66 corridor can now skip tolls and save on gas through a new 66-day carpooling initiative called the I-66 Slugging Challenge, which launched Sept. 14 and runs through Nov. 20, 2026.
The program, organized by the I-66 Slugging Network, revives "slugging," a decades-old Washington-area tradition where drivers pick up strangers to meet HOV-3+ requirements and drive toll-free in express lanes, while passengers ride for free.
Commuters meet at two Park and Ride hubs to start their trips
Morning slug lines form at the Monument Drive Park and Ride in Fairfax and the University Boulevard Park and Ride in Gainesville, typically operating from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Riders are dropped off at four Washington-area destinations: Rosslyn, L'Enfant Plaza, Navy Yard, and Metro Center.
Afternoon reverse routes bring commuters back to Northern Virginia
Afternoon slug lines run from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the return trip. Once three or more people are in a car, drivers switch their E-ZPass Flex to HOV mode to use the I-66 Express Lanes without paying tolls.
Participants can log trips through an app to win up to $1,000
Commuters who register at slugi66.com and track their rides via the CommuterCash app become eligible for incentives and prizes worth up to $1,000. Those who use the slugging lines without registering can still ride but won't qualify for challenge rewards.
"Slugging has been an effective and efficient commuting solution in the Washington region for decades," said David LeBlanc, longtime slug and spokesperson for the I-66 Slugging Network. He said the effort brings the practice to a corridor where commuters need more flexible, affordable travel options.
Slugging involves no money exchange and no formal scheduling between drivers and passengers, relying instead on informal trust built over repeated trips. The I-66 Slugging Network, a coalition of residential groups and public agencies, is also promoting complementary services like the Commuter Connections Guaranteed Ride Home Program and Fairfax Connector bus routes during the challenge.