CA Signage for HOV Lanes
Last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law Assembly Bill 1500, which gives solo drivers in natural gas or pure electric vehicles access to the high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in the state until January 1, 2015. HOV is commonly referred to as car-pooling. Explaining the legislation, NGVAmerica says these vehicles qualify because they are classified as Inherently Low Emission Vehicles and Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles. Drivers of hybrids and plug-in hybrids will lose their access to the HOV lanes at the end of 2011. Access to HOV lanes has been an important non-monetary incentive for fleet owners to buy alternative fuel vehicles. Because fleet owners need adequate lead time to make vehicle replacement decisions, it is important that they be assured the single occupancy HOV lane access will be continued beyond the current sunset date of 2011.
The state says the move is to make room in the carpool lanes for the next generation of vehicles. “Over the past few years the state has made a significant commitment to the deployment of alternative fuels and alternative fuel vehicles,” said Assembly member Lieu (the sponsor of AB 1500). “Continuing the HOV lane incentive for buyers of alternative fuel vehicles is entirely consistent with these policies and should be continued.”
At least six other states – Colorado, Utah, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Tennessee and Utah give single drivers of green vehicles access to carpool lanes. The legislation was strongly supported by the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition.
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