Good news...Gov Kaine has signed the bill extending the HOV exemption for properly registered hybrids. This allows those with the appropriate Virginia Clean Special Fuel tag to continue using the HOV lanes with fewer occupants than otherwise required. The HOV rules for Virginia are explained at High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Systems If you do not have the Clean Special Fuel tag, you may not solo on any HOV lanes. If you have one issued after July 1, 2006, you may on all HOV lanes except I-95 and I-395. Please follow the rules...(including you in the silver Prius without the CSF tag on I-66 this morning.)
I sure wish I could get a Virginia Clean Special Fuel tag or California sticker that I could legally use in Oregon. Well, a guy can wish, can't he?
VA's solo rules differ from ALL other states, in a really perverse way. Since many of our wonderful legislators / Congrespersons live in VA, then drive into DC every day, they afford their self the luxury of including gas guzzlin' hybrids, as well as the fuel stingy ones. You can get a high powered Lexus, and still drive solo, even though it may only get 20mpg. The rational is that at least its smog is cleaner than other 20mpg cars. God forbid they should have to drive in a fuel efficient car in order to drive solo in the HOV lanes hwell:
After looking at the site you linked, it says the following: "Hybrid vehicles with the required clean fuel license plates will continue to be able to use the I-95/395, I-66 and Dulles Toll Road HOV lanes until June 30, 2008." Does this mean that after 6/30/08, hybrid drivers will not be allowed to use any I-95/395 and I-66 ever again?
They're still busy apologizing for their failure to deal with that ice storm that shut down the mixing bowl...
They got around to updating the website and it now shows the new date. Note that nothing has changed regarding the requirement to have the proper plate and registration for the highway in use. Finally seeing our fine troopers enforcing the rule with several improperly tagged hybrids getting their rightly deserved HOV violation tickets. HOV Exemption for Hybrid Vehicles Extended to June 30, 2009
Nothing at all other than move to Virginia and get the proper registration. It was a MD tagged Prius I saw getting a ticket on the I95 HOV ramp Friday, in fact.
No, but then again I can't park in the hybrid-only spaces at that parking garage in Baltimore that I was in last summer. Come to think of it I can't take advantage of the hybrid exemption in VA either. I didn't bother to get the HOV plates because I rarely take 66 during rush hour.
Late chiming in here. The answer is yes and no. The Clean Fuel tag from pre - 06/30/08 has the logo on the left side of the plate. These tags were grand-fathered, and if you have this tag, you can use any HOV lanes in Virginia. If the tag was acquired after that day, you will find the logo on the right side. These cars can only HOV lanes on I-66. My guess is when they do away with the privilege all together, there wil be third kind of Clean Fuel Tag.....
