10 Facts: Hybrids in HOV Lanes

Stop-and-go traffic with cars idling much of the time is a bane of major metro life. Take a look around the next time you're stuck in gridlock at rush hour. All those cars idling with mostly a single driver behind the wheel - except perhaps a few hybrids with their engines shut-off while stopped - are contributing to serious air quality issues. If all these vehicles were hybrids this wouldn't be as much of a problem. Sure, everyone would still be frustrated by being stuck in traffic. But most hybrids sitting still in this situation would automatically shut down their engines and be producing no emissions at all. With the total number of hybrids very small compared to conventional gasoline vehicles, how do you encourage more drivers to put hybrids on the road so even more emissions are reduced? Give them incentives, like the ability to drive solo in High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.

HOV LANE DEFINED
Decreasing emissions caused by idling cars on high speed roadways was the impetus that created the HOV lane concept over 30 years ago. HOV lanes are also commonly referred to as car pool lanes or diamond lanes (due to the diamond shaped identifier symbol within some of these lanes) in traffic and news reports. The first HOV lane was established in El Monte, California in 1976. The term HOV defines a car or truck carrying two or more people. Some HOV lanes require three or more occupants, though they are much less common and more a regional concern in especially traffic impacted areas like the Los Angeles Basin.

WHY HOV LANES ARE IMPORTANT
The thinking goes like this: It's logical to assume that the quickest way to decrease both traffic congestion and resulting air pollution is to reduce the number of cars on the road, while recognizing that the same number of people will still need to traverse the route in question. This can be accommodated by encouraging more people to use mass transit such as commuter trains or buses - not an easy sell - or by increasing the number of people in each vehicle so fewer one occupant cars are on the road. This latter approach involves carpooling and ride sharing. Another way to reduce emissions is for greater numbers of extremely low emitting vehicles to traverse these highways.

HOW HOV LANES WORK
HOV lanes on congested major metropolitan routes reward multiple occupant cars by ensuring speedy travel through high traffic corridors. In theory, less congested HOV lanes help move vehicles through an area at a faster pace, saving time, gasoline, and substantially decreasing emissions from idling cars in stop-and-go traffic. Again, this same goal of decreasing emissions and fuel use can be accomplished with greater numbers of high efficiency hybrid vehicles on the road. By offering the same privilege of driving in an HOV lane that's afforded multi-occupant vehicles, hybrids will naturally find their way to the nation's highways in greater numbers.

HYBRIDS IN HOV CORRIDORS
The federal transportation bill of 2005 gave states the right to issue single occupant HOV lane stickers to hybrid vehicle owners. Not all hybrids qualify, however. California requires an AT PZEV emissions rating and an EPA highway fuel economy of 45 mpg or better (per EPA's 2007 and earlier test protocol). If the hybrid is a 2004 model year or older, it can qualify as a ULEV. In other words, only the Prius, Civic Hybrid, and Honda Insight qualify for the gold Certified Clean Air Vehicle sticker. California also provides white CCAV stickers for clean alternative fuel vehicles including CNG and hydrogen fueled vehicles and several with electric drive.

STATES THAT ALLOW HYBRIDS
California has issued 85,000 Certified Clean Air Vehicle stickers that allow solo drivers of hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles in HOV lanes. Other states also allow single occupancy hybrid use in HOV lanes in some form when these vehicles are properly registered with the state. These include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia. Additional states are also considering this. To get information about hybrids and HOV lanes in your area, you can access your state's Transportation Department through the U.S. DOT website at www.fhwa.dot.gov/webstate.htm.

CALIFORNIA LEADS THE WAY
California is a leader in HOV lane implementation with 1,350 HOV lane miles now in the state and another 950 miles planned. Nationally, the number of HOV lane miles is expected to approach 4,000 as early as 2010. Obviously, this growth provides even more potential to incentivize hybrid purchases and use.

NO SMALL CONTROVERSY
Single occupant hybrids have become somewhat of a target of those who view the HOV right of way purely as a multi-occupant carpool lane. This is particularly true in dense traffic areas where travel in the diamond lane can slow to as little as 10 mph at peak hours. Those crawling along in the regular lanes may argue the value of hybrid HOV access when they see valuable concrete being used by solo drivers that could be rededicated as yet another regular lane for use by all drivers to relieve overall congestion.

HYBRIDS NOT THE ONLY EXCEPTION
While certain very high fuel efficiency hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles are now allowed in some HOV lanes, these vehicles are not the first to receive this kind of benefit for solo drivers. For years, motorcycles have been afforded this privilege in many states without requiring a passenger.

IN DEFENSE OF HOV LANES
Regardless of this controversy, the primary purpose of HOV lanes since their inception has been to improve air quality, so the inclusion of clean-running hybrid vehicles in these lanes fits the overall mission. In reality, the system has worked quite well in promoting alternative fuel and hybrid use for commuting even before the recent spike in fuel prices. It has gained even more momentum since.

WILL THE PROGRAM CONTINUE?
In California and Arizona, the allocation of HOV hybrid stickers reached the limit rather quickly and new stickers or HOV tags are not being issued for hybrids. California's stickers are valid until January 1, 2011. Those opposed to hybrids in HOV lanes are likely to argue that with the current high demand for hybrids there is no need to extend an HOV incentive. This will continue to be an evolving controversy since HOV lanes are becoming increasingly crowded in major metro areas. Yet, with this incentive prompting many to step up to hybrid ownership for the very first time, there's no denying that allowing hybrids in HOV lanes is serving an important purpose.