Schwarzenegger signs bill to put 10,000 more Hybrids in HOV lanes until 2011 By Shane Goldmacher (published October 5th, 2006) Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation that will allow owners of hybrids and other alternative fuel vehicles to drive in carpool lanes, even while driving solo, until 2011. The legislation, authored by Assemblyman Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, also increases the number of hybrid-carpool permits in the state from 75,000 to 85,000. The governor, whose staff had directed Lieu to include hybrids in the bill, signed the legislation despite a September Caltrans report that said carpool lanes have become clogged during peak hours. The report recommended that no additional carpool-lane stickers be issued, once the 75,000 cap is reached, which could happen within weeks according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. "This is a common sense way of working to decrease air pollution from traffic congestion, particularly in heavily urbanized areas where air pollution tends to be the worst and traffic congestion is the greatest," Lieu in a statement following the signing. The bill was signed by the governor on September 29, along with two other pieces of environmental legislation, including SB 1368, authored by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland, which would force energy producers to meet clean-air standards. "The governor is a strong supporter of reducing California'a dependence on oil and felt that this was one way to ensure that demand for hybrid vehicles continued," said Schwarzenegger spokesman Darrel Ng. The extension of California carpool incentives comes just as federal-tax incentives for the Toyota Prius--the most popular hybrid model--have expired. Starting this month, Prius buyers missed out on federal tax credits of $1,575. "People purchase hybrids for different reasons, but if they knew the carpool program is going to expire next year, they might not buy," said Lieu. "We need to do everything we can to encourage the use of alternative-fuel vehicles." Shane Goldmacher is a Capitol Weekly staff reporter and author of The California Observer. http://www.capitolweekly.net/news/article.html?article_id=1026
Hi Terry: ___I have very mixed feelings about this myself. Having traveled in the CA. car pool lanes, reading Tarabell’s reports of lower FE while using them some of the time due to the higher speeds, and the fact a single occupant hybrid is not reducing congestion which may be the number one fuel waster of all, I just think this may be a not so smart idea right now? It is great for a higher speed commuter that doesn’t care but is this really saving much fuel overall? A Civic, Fit, Corolla, Yaris, or even a Camry or Accord to name just a few pulling 65 mph with 2 or more occupants in the HOV lanes is far more fuel efficient then a Prius at the same with just the driver imho. ___It is a nice incentive and overall, I would rather see that single occupant driver in a hybrid then non given he or she is not just driving the HOV lanes on the highway for 100% of the Prius/HCH’s life but I can understand why there is some backlash towards hybrid drivers because of the exclusivity and right to drive the HOV lanes w/ a single occupant. ___Good Luck ___Wayne
Mixed Feelings I favor it because it seems to promote hybrid sales, but in practice I share Wayne's reservations. If there is not gridlock, the HOV is going to be a legitimized speeding lane (in Dallas it is). If you want to go the speed limit or hypermile, HOV drivers behind you will harass you and from negative opinions of hybrid drivers. I remember a CNN video that seemed to go out of their way to find bad actors on wanting to be single occupant drivers on California HOVs: a very smug Prius driver a H2 driver a Esclade driver I expect tarabell will be happy with the results of driving on the rightmost freeway lane and access roads. Maybe sometime I should do a thread fantizing how the world would be if I was a traffic czar (don't worry - I would not do like Mussolini and shoot train engineers)
