Plug-in California Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

Do the HOV stickers have to be renewed annually, or do they expire at some point?

(pardon the dumb questions, but we have no such thing here in Bush/Perry country)

 

Back then, they were good till they weren't good no mo'! They were originally supposed to expire Jan 1, 2001 but they were extended till July 1, 2011.

Defunct now!

 

The new ones for the PiP will expire Jan 1, 2015, unless the state legislature extends the program. No annual renewal is required.

 

What other cars beside the PiP qualify for the new HOV sticker?

 

any freeway capable EV or OEM CNG only can get the white HOV sticker. Even the converted EV can get it but not the CNG converted, not even the OEM dual fuel CNG/gasoline. not sure about what phev can get the green HOV sticker besides the Prius plugin. Not even the Volt can get the green HOV sticker.

 

Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

Links to

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/zevprog/factsheets/clean_vehicle_incentives.pdf

Look under PHEV.

Volt can't get it because to be AT-PZEV it would need to meet SULEV and provide a long warranty and it doesn't do either, yet, although I believe the 2013 model will have an AT-PZEV package available.

The following explains how PZEV (including AT-PZEV) works:

Partial zero-emissions vehicle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The updated version of the Volt that is designed to qualify for the green HOV stickers can be ordered now and and GM should begin delivering the car starting some time in February. The cars will still need premium gas but the CO levels will be lowered to conform with CA's requirements.

Originally the Volt was supposed to be modified to use either 87 octain or E85 for the 2013 model year but when I spoke to one of the senior GM EV guys at the LA auto show they hadn't made a final decision on that.

Noel

 

Hello all this is my first post to this forum! The PIP will be my first Prius, as well as the first car that I will have bought brand new. I typically prefer to buy cars 2-4 years out to allow for depreciation, but I've made an allowance for the PIP due to it being eligible for the CA green HOV sticker.

I never was much a fan of the looks of the Prius, but after a friend lent me her 2005 yello-stickered Prius for a couple of months of commuting - I was hooked on Pri. One of life's finer moments is being able to zoom by traffic while driving solo in the carpool lane ...

I've ordered a base PIP, classic silver metallic - options include front paint protection film, wheel locks, door edge guards, carpeted floor mats, cargo net, and rear bumper applique.

What's the process for obtaining a green CA sticker - is it just a matter of completing the application form after you receive license plates from DMV? Or can you apply before you receive the car and/or the license plates? I'm thinking that the form will probably require you to provide license plate info, VIN info, and insurance info. Thanks!

 

Last time you did have to be able to provide a plate number... so that certainly means a completed registration - no application prior to that. I don't recall them needing insurance info, just the vin and plate.

 

If I transfer my current vanity plate to the new car, will that cut down on the time to get my registration, and thus the carpool sticker? I'm torn on whether to get a new vanity plate for the new car...

 

You can't transfer a plate to a car that's not already registered... when you register you automatically get a generic plate which you later turn in when you switch it to the vanity plate.

I'm planning on filing the form for my current vanity plate that will allow me to hold it -- off a vehicle. I'll get a generic plate for my current car which I'm trading in. Then I'll transfer the vanity plate to the new car after I get the stickers.

 

Last time we dealt with carpool stickers, here is how it went:

A car in CA needs a valid "first new" plate.
And, you can't transfer a VANITY plate to a new car quickly anyway.
My buyers will get their plates immediately (within 72 hours or less).

Once there is a valid license plate # and a VIN#, docs can be mailed to Sacramento for the green stickers to be issued.

 

Also when you get the sticker you get a certificate that you are supposed to keep with the car. If you get stopped by the cops you have to show the certificate so they can verify that the HOV stickers belong with the car. I would expect that the stickers are associated with the VIN but from what I remember they had the license plate number on them which could create a problem if you ever got stopped and the plates didn't match the certificate. If someone has one of the old certificates at hand perhaps they could verify.

 

My sticker reg had both on it. I changed my plates to my
<3N Prius (heart sign, N <space> Prius) for Lovin' Prius

and when I got pulled over for speeding twice, no one ever asked me for any reg for the yellow stickers - ever. Only my regular registration.

Leadfoot*Dianne

 

Has anyone been able to confirm if the green stickers will be available? I've scoured the web and can't find any confirmation of the law being passed or denied.

Thanks

 

This is as close as you'll get for now:

Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

The 2010 prototype Prius Plug-In was listed as being eligible for the green sticker. Since the 2012 is not actually available yet, its not listed here (nor is the Focus EV for that matter). But I think you can be sure the 2012 production PiP will be on the list, just as the 2010 is.

 

Thanks Tracks - What my concern is based on this statement from the website: "Green Clean Air Vehicle Stickers pending federal approval will be available as of January 1, 2012 and will be valid through January 1, 2015 to the first 40,000 applicants that purchase or lease cars meeting California's enhanced advanced technology partial zero emission vehicle (AT PZEV) requirements. "

I can't find if that federal approval ever happened or not.

Thanks

 

Only 40,000!? Wow.

And what does Advanced Technology mean in this context? Is it specific to California only?

 

I believe it means that it's either not a gasoline vehicle (e.g. CNG), or it's a hybrid. And yes, I believe it was created by the California Air Resources Board, though CARB standards have been adopted by other states as well.

 

Yes, O.C. FUNDS paid for HALF of the county's toll roads, but matching fed funds are paid out for building roads too. So that means we never pay more than 1/2 the actual cost. BTW, if you think the 73 is under utilized, take a trip on the 241 - which was designed to save travelers a few miles going to/from south O.C. into Riverside County. Shoot - the 73 looks like grid lock compared to how little the 241 gets used.

Actually daniel, the Cal state's legislative history records multiple purposes of car pool lanes - and the multiple purposes don't have to collaterally achieve the multiple purposes. One purpose was to reduce emissions. In CA, vehicles with the SULEV rating (AND that got higher than 45mpg) accomplish emissions reductions. Another purpose was to reduce congestion. 2 people in a 14 passenger van accomplishes that objective - regardless of how filthy-smog belching the vehicle is/was (white stickers for CNG/EV's are another whole set of rules). We have a guy at work that moonlights for FedEx. His job? He sits in the passenger seat so the FedEx truck can get to L.A.X. 30-45 minutes faster than if they'd been in a non-HOV lane. It ain't a perfect system by any means.

All the different states have different rules for sticker expiration / Renewal / qualification ... so you gotta check with the powers in YOUR area. In CA - although the stickers don't have to be renewed once received ... even the new Green HOV stickers (that the PiP will be eligible for) are set to expire eventually - as are the white stickers on CA EV's/CNG vehicles.

Funny you should mention MY sore spot Dianne. Let's look at our good friends working at the nation's capitol. Many drive in from VA. Car pool lane requirement solo driving there? MANY hybrids qualify. So, go down and buy a LS600h hybrid (as many of our Fed money wasters do drive) and you're good to go. You gotta love it.