The EPA has proposed a rule that would allow drivers of fuel-efficient vehicles to use the high occupancy vehicle lanes without bringing along those pesky carpoolers. Most states require at least two occupants for a vehicle to travel in the HOV lane.
Qualifying vehicles would need to be at least 25% more fuel-efficient than comparable gas-powered cars. Four manufacturers – Toyota, Honda, Ford, and Mazda – offer eleven models that would qualify, including two powered by natural gas.
The eleven qualifying vehicles, inside…
States worried about anti-carpool yokels clogging their HOV lanes can propose stricter standards; California won’t let a solo hybrid driver onto their HOV lanes unless their car gets 45 mpg. — CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER
EPA Pushes Pool Lane Rules for Hybrids [Washington Post]
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Erica,
Carpooling is a fantasy that never realized. It is based on the assumption that people that live near each other somehow work near each other. You cannot base law on a bad assumption. It is time for us to get rid of carpool lanes just as we got rid of the 55 mph ceiling. If congress had not caved into the auto makers on the fleet mph requirements, we ALL would be using less gas, but nooooo, SUV’s appeared.