California Diamond Lane Approval

THAT would be cool. Let's hope they'll allow hybrids to drive the diamond lane with only the driver!

On incentives - I just did my taxes. While I had to answer no to the question "Did you buy a hybrid in 2004" - I took pleasure knowing that I'll get to answer yes and collect the deduction next year. 8)

Yoda

 

Check here for updates. Once it passes US Congress, we'll just need the little stickers from the DMV. So it may be a while.....


http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d1...d109:h.r.00325:

 

Are you referring to your Federal Return here or State of CA?

 

My dealer told me it is a $2,000 deduction on your federal tax return.

Regarding the California diamond lanes:

A law was passed in California that said high efficiency cars could drive in diamond lanes. Because California receives federal money to support diamond lanes, it must get federal approval to allow hybrids to drive in them. The congress is working on passing the bill as was noted above. The House passed a transportation bill that included a rider to allow the hybrids into carpool lanes. It is now in the senate's hands. The senate has to pass the whole transportation bill, which involves highway funding for all the states. Bush has said he would sign it if the Senate did not increase the dollar amount of the bill as the House has passed it. So, where we stand now is, the Senate is haggling over the details of the dollars going to each state for their highway funds. Presumably they will eventually find some agreement and pass a bill, which will still include the hybrid rider. Then Bush should sign it if it isn't too far from the original House bill.

I am holding my breath. I live in West LA and use the 405, 101 and 10 freeways regularly. This will be a godsend to me.

 

Here in the DC area, it is already legal for hybrid cars to be in the diamond lane (we call it the HOV lane here), but certain factions are trying to get that law revoked stating that it doesn't make much of a difference anyway. We'll see what happens....

 

Yup, I think we are still legal through July 2006 if I remember correctly. I honestly do not notice that many hybrids clogging up the left lane on 66 in the morning. I doubt it would make a difference to the flow of traffic with or without the hybrids.
(I do hope they extend it though)



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Nerf Herder\";p=\"80985)</div>

 

Once they allow it in CA, especially certain areas, the HOV lane will be like a Prius Parade! There's tons of us out here!

 

With so many new hybrids models coming this year, coudln't the lanes quickly be overwhelmed? I thought I read about one state required a certain MPG, was that California? Would seem unfair for the 28MPG Escape, Lexus, Highlander, or Accord to be in the lane while the Echo can't. Plus hybrids don't help with other auto issues - traffic, congestion, sprawl, if you still have 1 person in 1 vehicle.

Of course, I'm speaking from a city with no HOV lanes (must be only major city in country) and if they existed here, I am SOOOOOOO all for the hybrid rule!!!

 

HOV lanes were created to alleviate three issues
- congestion
- pollution
- oil consumption
(Think about why motorcycles were allowed on HOV lanes...)

By allowing hybrids with 45+ MPG(combined) to ride on HOV lanes, it achieves two of the above three original objectives. Why not? If you calculate the numbers in details, a large SUV with two people only does better toward the first (congestion) objective. A prius would consume 1/4 of gas, and produce 1/10 of pollution. Multiply the numbers by 2, Prius still wins hands down.

 

Don't forget the California law only allows the first 70,000 applicants who apply for the sticker to get one. No sticker... you no use the lane.

 

Limiting total numbers is important for the lanes to work. If the they become congested, there's no incentive for the people who are carpooling ... the "carrot" is gone!

 

I think it's kinda funny that the state is rewarding us for driving hybrids by letting us go in the HOV lane which will in turn, give us worse gas mileage. :wink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Erick\";p=\"81272)</div>

Yeah, if they -really- wanted to save gas, have suvs drive in the HOV lane, and us in the slow/go cycle. That would save both categories in the mpg.

Anyhow, I'd gladly give up mpg to get to my destination significantly faster, as long as I don't have to go much above speed limit. I don't want to give up too much mpg!

 

OMG>.....[Broken External Image]:http://jm.g.free.fr/smileys/unclassified/darthmavis.gif..."IF"?

 

[/quote]
Anyhow, I'd gladly give up mpg to get to my destination significantly faster, as long as I don't have to go much above speed limit. I don't want to give up too much mpg!
[/quote]

As soon as they open up them up, my wife is taking the Prius. It will cut her commute from 60 min to about 25. Insane. They are building a carpool lane on the freeway I use so I'll have to save my pennies to get a second Prius (or just sell my wife's car).

 

Huh? This is first I heard.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JoeBananas\";p=\"81089)</div>

The article I found said there are a little over 33,000 cars eligible for the stickers. I think it's a lot higher than that due to recent sales and high gas prices.

 

Okay, I did a search and this is what I found.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/faq.htm

Is this out of date? Or does it simply refer to present law and the new Fed law will over-ride? And...if the new law does allow Prius in the HOV lanes...do we still need a sticker?

Okay....did some more searching and found an answer here:http://server.admin.state.mn.us/resource.html?Id=11012

Once the Feds pass the law we apply for a yellow sticker through the DMV. it will take them about 8 weeks to get the applications ready and available after the law passes. I'll be checking here often to see what the status of this legislation is.

 

Here is the link to the CA DMV page with the application for a Clean Air Vehicle Decal:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg1000.htm

 

Here's the Senate's list of activities so far this year. I think we're looking/waiting for approval on Transportation Bill H.R. 3.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll..._menu_109_1.htm

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/?&Db...ution+control))