Quickride

[GovernorAggie]

Do any of you use QuickRide?

[bruce_oneal]

Do any of you use QuickRide?

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no, what is it?

[GovernorAggie]

It allows you to pay to use the HOV lane on 290.

[bruce_oneal]

It allows you to pay to use the HOV lane on 290.

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i would love something like that on I10 in the morning headed east. that traffic is mindboggling.

[jpcampbell]

i would love something like that on I10 in the morning headed east.  that traffic is mindboggling.

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They have it on the Katy. Our receptionist uses it every day. I think you need at least 2 in the car though instead of the normal 3 that are required. I'm not sure if 1 person can pay more to ride.

[bruce_oneal]

They have it on the Katy.  Our receptionist uses it every day.  I think you need at least 2 in the car though instead of the normal 3 that are required.  I'm not sure if 1 person can pay more to ride.

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unfortunately (for me) i am riding solo in the a.m. out to the woodlands. that would help me get to the 45 without the extortion (mass tolls) of beltway 8.

[ricco67]

Then you should do what I do occasionally, bruce:

Cruise the P&R's and ask anyone who wants a ride? My only suggestion is that if a lady volunteers, ask for another as a "backup."

I've done it a few times and people are grateful not having to pay the fare.

You both get what you need that way. You move on down quickly to downtown, and they get a free ride.

Just be fair as to where you drop them off.

Ricco

[bruce_oneal]

Then you should do what I do occasionally, bruce:

Cruise the P&R's and ask anyone who wants a ride?  My only suggestion is that if a lady volunteers, ask for another as a "backup."

I've done it a few times and people are grateful not having to pay the fare.

You both get what you need that way.  You move on down quickly to downtown, and they get a free ride.

Just be fair as to where you drop them off.

Ricco

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agreed. i only work out there (the woodlands) two days a week, but there is really NO easy way i have found around getting from westchase to 45. people always say 'take the beltway' but the beltway actually backs up from tomball highway (i think it is 249) to 45 most mornings like you wouldn't believe. also, i honestly do not have $5/morning for tolls. so free (or nearly) free is my only option.

the car pool thing might work for me 'cause i could zip down I10 (drop off someone in or near downtown) and head on up to the woodlands in a lot quicker time. as it is now, it takes me a good 30 minutes to get fromo beltway/westheimer to I10/610!

when i lived in dc, they had slugs. these were people that hitched rides (slugging) with people that needed to travel on the HOV lanes. it worked out well for everyone. the riders got free rides, the drivers, got enough passengers to use HOV. i guess you actually had regular slugs going to the same places.

would/could something like that work here in houston? i know safety is always a concern (especially for women), but it seemed to work well there.

[ricco67]

Well, appearence is everything and you have to be a brave soul and a smooth talker to do it here.

But I think it can actually catch on rather quickly.

I've had to do a run to IAH at 7 in the morning and have a 8am appointment in bellaire.

So I've picked up a number of people. I usually do my pickups on the 59 side instead of 45. It's easier to ask people on 59 as opposed to the 45 PR's near the airport

Ricco

[bruce_oneal]

Well, appearence is everything and you have to be a brave soul and a smooth talker to do it here.

But I think it can actually catch on rather quickly.

I've had to do a run to IAH at 7 in the morning and have a 8am appointment in bellaire.

So I've picked up a number of people.  I usually do my pickups on the 59 side instead of 45.  It's easier to ask people on 59 as opposed to the 45 PR's near the airport

Ricco

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so slugging does exist?

[ricco67]

*I* wouldn't call it that, but I've had a few brave souls in my car.

Maybe "Freeloaders?"

Ricco

[bruce_oneal]

*I* wouldn't call it that, but I've had a few brave souls in my car.

Maybe "Freeloaders?"

Ricco

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LOL

check this out when you a chance: slugging in dc->va

[The Voice of University Oaks]

It's called "slugging" in Houston, too. There was an article about it in the Chronicle a couple of years back. METRO doesn't condone the practice of slugging, but they're not exactly trying to stop it, either.

It's especially prevalent at the busier park and rides which feed into 3+ HOV lanes, such as Addicks and Kingsland along the Katy Freeway and Northwest Station along the Northwest Freeway. There they actually have informal "slug lines" of people waiting for rides. I suppose you could do it at just about any facility, however. I think I've seen it done once or twice at the Fuqua park and ride along the Gulf Freeway.

In the afternoons, people drive along Louisiana or Travis holding up signs with the bus route number on them, looking for riders so they can take the HOV lane back home.

It's a peculiar practice - people are getting into cars with complete strangers, which is exactly what momma told you *not* to do when you were a kid - but it seems to work out for everyone involved. The driver gets bodies so he/she can take the HOV lane into work, and the rider doesn't have to wait for a bus and saves credits on his/her bus pass (which, in the case of downtown workers, has usually been pre-paid by the employer, so METRO's not really losing fare revenue). The "slug leakage" saves room on METRO buses, so they don't have to incur the cost of adding more buses to growing park-and-rides as quickly.

[ricco67]

Well, I'm already refered to as a weasel and a rat, but being called a slug is just going a tad too far.

Ricco