As I was leaving work last night, a bus blew past me with a big, colorful ad on the side. “Freewheeling,” said the type at the top. The photo showed a van on a bare stretch of road, with a beautiful sunsetty skyline beyond. Then the tagline: “Vanpooling is your trip, your way.”

Um, really? I thought vanpooling was 12 other people’s trips, and you have to wait your turn, and it takes forever, and is sort of smelly.

I wish I could get over that notion. Because I do believe in sharing rides. And the Washington DOT website makes it look so darn bucolic. I admire their attempt to sex up vans, I really do. I wish them the best of truck.

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