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Solo drivers of hybrids to gain from bill

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by jkash, Jan 6, 2005.

  1. jkash

    jkash Member

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    Solo drivers of hybrids to gain from bill

    By Lisa Mascaro, Staff Writer

    Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced Wednesday she will introduce legislation allowing solo motorists to drive hybrid cars in California's freeway car-pool lanes.

    The state Legislature passed a bill last year to allow drivers of hybrids that get 45 mpg or better to travel solo in the high-occupancy vehicle lanes. Before the law can take effect, it requires congressional approval because federal money is used to build car-pool lanes.

    "Hybrid vehicles are the wave of the future, and we should be doing everything we can to encourage their use," Feinstein, D-Calif., said in a statement.

    "Changing the law to allow these hybrid vehicles to use diamond lanes certainly makes sense. I hope that the Senate will act on this legislation quickly."

    The first day senators can propose legislation is Jan. 24.

    Feinstein's proposal would allow California and other states to set their own regulations for allowing hybrid vehicles into the car-pool lanes, which are typically reserved for cars with two or more occupants.

    Under California's newly passed law, hybrids achieving a 45 mpg fuel efficiency would qualify -- at this point, only the Toyota Prius and Honda's Civic and Insight.

    Read entire article by clicking this link.
     
    #1 jkash, Jan 6, 2005
  2. edthedriver

    edthedriver Junior Member

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    I read about this same issue in the Virginia area and what is happening is that Hybrids are becoming so popular that solo drivers are bringing the HOV lanes over capacity and making them slower than the regular lanes.
    Great gas mileage or not, hybrids shouldn't be included unless w/2 or more occupants. Same as everyone else. Sorry to put a damper on the idea. I am just being the devils advocate.
     
    #2 edthedriver, Jan 8, 2005
  3. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    i believe it should be kept at 2 also but with a twist, non hybrids should have 3 or more like it used to be
     
    #3 DaveinOlyWA, Jan 8, 2005
  4. askbrad

    askbrad New Member

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    What everybody is failing to understand is why the HOV lanes were installed in the first place.

    It was to reduce emissions.

    The reduction in total traffic was just a positive side-effect of the program.

    Ultimately, the emissions are figured out on a per-passenger basis. When the program was first installed, the effective “Miles Per Gallon Per Person†was how the program was calculated. For example; lets say an SUV gets 20MPG on the highway. With the driver and two passengers in the vehicle, the effective MPGPP is 60. The Toyota and Honda vehicles get exceptional mileage. The domestic attempts at hybrids have stopped a little short of the 45MPG requirement.

    With AB2628 being passed in California, but waiting for Federal approval, it may be a long time before we see any changes at all.

    My suggestion would be a little difficult to enforce, but what if we created a MPGPP baseline for use of the HOV lane? Let’s say 45MPG is the requirement. This would EXCLUDE those giant moving trucks with three guys in the front seat lumbering along at 55 (the truck’s top speed) and drinking diesel at 8 or 9 mpg.

    Oh, yea. It would exclude the non SULEV SUVs also…
     
    #4 askbrad, Jan 8, 2005
  5. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    VA is VA. In California, the HOV lanes are mostly way under loaded. Some day when Hybrids are so popular, new rule can be set for HOV lanes, but now, Hybrids on HOV lanes makes sense. Maximization of traffic flow benefits EVERYONE, not just Hybrids owners.
     
    #5 ceric, Jan 9, 2005
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